Life imprisonment for sexual abuse of children: proposals to toughen liability submitted for review

Uzbekistan is considering life imprisonment for sexual abuse of children. A package of amendments was submitted for review on 28 September. For now these are only proposals: no timeline for adopting them has been announced.

What triggered the proposals

On 27 September 2026, Head of the Presidential Administration Saida Mirziyoyeva said that proposals were being prepared to amend the law. The goal is to toughen liability for sexual violence against children as much as possible.

The trigger was a criminal case in Namangan region, where a kindergarten employee is suspected of abusing a five-year-old girl. Saida Mirziyoyeva said that those who were negligent and failed to protect the child would also be held accountable.

What is proposed

On 28 September, Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, First Deputy Director of the National Agency for Social Protection, said the agency and the relevant bodies had prepared and submitted a package of amendments. It provides for:

• Life imprisonment for sexual violence against children
• Stronger liability of parents for failing to care for their children
• Stronger liability of teachers for violence and humiliation
• Legal assistance for child victims at every stage of the investigation and trial

What has already been ordered

The groundwork was laid by Decree No. UP-33 of 3 March 2026 on strengthening the protection of women’s and children’s rights. It ordered a draft law on life imprisonment for the rape of persons under 14 — primarily for those previously convicted of such crimes.

The death penalty was abolished in Uzbekistan on 1 January 2008 and is prohibited by the Constitution, so the discussion concerns the maximum prison term.

What this means in practice. The authorities have said liability for negligence will be tightened. Heads of kindergartens and schools should already check:

• Video surveillance
• The rules for staff access to children
• The vetting of job candidates

Parents who suspect abuse should immediately contact the police or the prosecutor’s office and preserve all evidence.

Photo: Davide Mauro, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)