President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a law toughening penalties for violence against children, amending five codes and six laws at once, Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration, said.
People who commit sexual violence against a child under 14 will face up to 25 years in prison or life imprisonment. There will be no statute of limitations for prosecuting such crimes.
“Anyone who abuses a child or inflicts physical or mental suffering on them, whether an employee of an educational institution or a close relative, will be held accountable,” Mirziyoyeva wrote. “Punishments for crimes that cause a child’s death will never be eased.”
“A young child’s safety cannot depend on conditions or circumstances,” she added. “Anyone who attacks a child’s life, health or dignity must know they will not escape strict punishment.”
The Legislative Chamber adopted the bill in first reading on September 29 and in second reading on September 30. The Senate approved the bill on October 2.
The bill, aimed at improving the system for protecting children from all forms of violence, was drafted on the initiative of the Adolat Social Democratic Party faction and submitted to the Legislative Chamber on September 27.
