Uzbekistan has strengthened liability for offenses against children
Uzbekistan is consistently implementing a state policy aimed at upholding human dignity, with particular emphasis on the reliable protection of the rights and legitimate interests of children, reports the correspondent of the “Dunyo” News Agency.
According to Farid Nazarov, large-scale reforms have been carried out in recent years to protect children from all forms of violence and pressure, create a safe environment for them, and strengthen legal guarantees.
A logical continuation of this policy was the Law “On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Connection with the Improvement of the Child Protection System from Violence,” adopted on April 17, 2026. The document became an important legal step aimed at further strengthening the child protection system.
In accordance with the law, a number of significant amendments and additions were introduced to the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Code of Administrative Responsibility. These changes reflect a systematic approach to strengthening legal mechanisms for child protection.
In particular, clear legal assessments were established for certain types of offenses that had not previously been sufficiently covered by existing legislation. Liability was strengthened for offenses committed against children through the use of the Internet and telecommunications technologies.
These changes are of particular importance as they respond to modern challenges, especially the need to ensure children’s safety in the digital environment.
One of the most significant innovations was the introduction of a new Article 129¹ into the Criminal Code. Under this provision, special criminal liability is established for the possession of pornographic materials depicting or describing a minor for the purpose of distribution, if the offender knowingly understood that a minor was involved in such materials. This liability applies when the act is committed repeatedly after the individual has already been subjected to administrative liability for a similar offense.
The punishment for this crime includes a fine ranging from 100 to 600 base calculation units, correctional labor for up to three years, restriction of liberty for one to three years, or imprisonment for up to three years.
These measures are aimed at ensuring the inevitability of punishment for crimes against children and preventing such offenses.
At the same time, the Code of Administrative Responsibility was supplemented with new provisions. In particular, separate administrative liability was introduced for the possession of pornographic materials depicting a minor for the purpose of distribution. Such an offense entails a fine ranging from 20 to 100 base calculation units.
This is regarded as an important legal mechanism aimed at prevention and early-stage deterrence of crimes.
Another important aspect of the law was the introduction of norms regulating the participation of children in criminal proceedings. In particular, the participation of a legal representative during the questioning of a minor witness has become mandatory, while the duration of questioning is now clearly limited depending on the child’s age.
These provisions are aimed at reducing procedural pressure on children, protecting their psychological well-being, and ensuring the principles of humanity.
The content of the law demonstrates that it is not limited solely to strengthening liability. On the contrary, the document establishes a comprehensive approach that includes prevention, protection, and rehabilitation measures.
This also confirms that the law was developed in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international standards.
In addition, the protection of children in the digital environment, the strengthening of procedural guarantees, and the prevention of offenses at an early stage are becoming strategic priorities of state policy.
International practice shows that the most effective way to protect children from violence is a comprehensive system combining criminal liability, preventive measures, and rehabilitation mechanisms.
For example, in Scandinavian countries, child-related criminal cases are handled within a centralized environment under the “Barnahus” model. According to this approach, the child is questioned only once, while psychologists and law enforcement representatives participate simultaneously in the process. This significantly reduces the risk of repeated psychological trauma for the child.
In European countries, particularly in Germany and France, liability for crimes against children committed through the Internet has been strengthened, while a policy of zero tolerance applies to pornographic materials involving minors.
In the United States, a multidisciplinary approach based on the “Child Advocacy Center” model is applied. Under this system, questioning is conducted in a specially adapted environment, recorded on video, and the number of repeated interviews is minimized.
This advanced practice demonstrates that in matters of child protection, decisive importance lies not only in tougher penalties but also in ensuring children’s rights at procedural and institutional levels.
From this perspective, the adopted law was developed in line with international standards and represents an important step toward adapting national legislation to modern challenges.
In conclusion, it can be noted that this law opens a new stage in the field of child protection. By strengthening legal guarantees, introducing mechanisms that respond to modern threats, and prioritizing the interests of the child in criminal proceedings, a comprehensive and effective protection system is being formed.
Most importantly, these reforms are a practical embodiment of a humane policy aimed not only at the legal protection of children, but also at safeguarding their honor, dignity, and security. After all, a society in which children are reliably protected creates a solid foundation for stability, justice, and prosperity.
