President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on May 2 signed the bill amending the Criminal Code. The Legislative Chamber passed the amendments on February 6, the Senate approved them on February 28.

The new article 244-4 (illegal import, sale, purchase, storage or use of unmanned aerial vehicles) provides for up to 3 years prison sentence.

The same actions committed repeatedly or by a dangerous recidivist, committed by a person using his official position, committed by a group of persons, resulting in moderate or severe bodily injury, are punished with imprisonment from 3 to 5 years.

The same actions that resulted in the death of a person shall be punished with imprisonment from 5 to 8 years. If these actions resulted in casualties, a catastrophe or other grave consequences, the term of imprisonment will be from 8 to 10 years.

A person who voluntarily surrenders unmanned aerial vehicles, components and spare parts to them shall be released from liability.

The criminal code is also supplemented by article 248−1 - violation of the storage and use of unmanned aerial vehicles. This is punishable by imprisonment up to 3 years.

The same actions committed repeatedly or by a dangerous recidivist, committed by abuse of official position, committed by a group of persons, resulting in a moderate severity or serious bodily injury, are punished with imprisonment from 3 to 5 years.

Similar actions that resulted in the death of a person are punished with imprisonment from 5 to 8 years. These same actions, which resulted in casualties, catastrophe and other grave consequences, are punished with imprisonment from 8 to 10 years.

The amendments shall take effect in six months.

Previously, for illegal (unauthorized) use of the airspace by unmanned aerial vehicles led to administrative liability was envisaged - a fine of 20 to 100 minimum wages or administrative arrest of up to 15 days with confiscation of objects of the offense. This sanction was deleted from the Administrative Code.

From January 1, 2015, Uzbekistan imposed a complete ban on the import, sale and use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The use of UAVs is allowed only to certain legal entities that have a permit.

In May last year, the temporary import of UAVs, including drones, was allowed for preparation of photo and videos on Uzbekistan’s tourism potential by foreign companies.