National Guard officers may conduct inquiries and pre-investigation checks

Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law “On introducing amendments and addenda to the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedural Code and the Administrative Responsibility Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan”.

According to the law, relevant amendments were made to Article 38 of the Criminal Procedural Code. Now the National Guard staff have the right to conduct an inquiry. It should be recalled that such a right is given to internal affairs bodies, the Department for Combating Economic Crimes at the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement and the State Customs Committee. In turn, a similar addition has been made to Article 381-2 of the abovementioned code.

In addition, the National Guard officers can now carry out a pre-investigation checks – in cases referred by law to their jurisdiction. The corresponding addenda was made to Article 39-1 of the Criminal Procedural Code.

Currently, pre-investigation checks are carried out by the followings:

- Internal Affairs bodies;

- State Security Services bodies;

- State fire supervision bodies;

- Border guard bodies;

- Captains of ships in long voyages;

- State Customs Service bodies;

- Department for combating economic crimes at the Prosecutor General’s Office and its regional divisions;

- Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement at the Prosecutor General’s Office and its regional offices;

- General directorate for prevention of offenses in the field of retail trade and provision of services to the State Tax Committee and its territorial divisions;

- Commanders of military units, heads of military institutions and educational institutions;

- Heads of the punishment execution bodies at the Interior Ministry, heads of colonies, pre-trial detention centers and prisons.