Uzbekistan follows Kazakhstan’s lead in strengthening domestic violence legislation

Uzbekistan has introduced criminal liability for child abuse. Additionally, domestic abusers can no longer settle with their victims before court hearings. If a settlement is to occur, it must happen in court. The Senate emphasized that this change serves as a message to abusers, signaling that there is no way to escape punishment.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has already signed the law, according to Gazeta.uz.

«We are going to establish legal liability for child abuse within families. Please note, children have only been added to articles addressing physical violence,» the media outlet reported.

The amendments to the Criminal Code also complicate the process of settling domestic violence cases. For example, domestic abusers will no longer be able to settle with victims before court litigation, as they often did during the investigation phase.

«Why is this necessary? Because if a couple settles before going to court, the defendant does not feel that punishment is unavoidable and is more likely to commit the same crime again within a year,» said Malika Kadirkhanova, a member of the Senate.

Uzbekistani lawmakers hope that strengthening the legislation will reduce family violence and improve Uzbekistan’s standing in various international child rights protection rankings.

In April, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a long-anticipated law to secure women’s rights and protect children’s safety in Kazakhstan. Following the murder of Saltanat Nukenova, which sparked a public outcry, many people began urging the government to criminalize domestic violence.