National Strategy for Combating Extremism and Terrorism approved

On July 1, the presidential decree “On approval of the National Strategy of the Republic of Uzbekistan on combating extremism and terrorism for 2021-2026” was adopted.

In accordance with the National Strategy of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Combating Extremism and Terrorism for 2021-2026 and the “roadmap” for the Implementation of the National Strategy, the followings were identified as priorities and goals of the strategy:

• promoting the ideology of patriotism, traditional values and tolerance in order to prevent the spread of ideas of extremism and terrorism;
• preventing the spread of extremism and terrorism among minors and young people;
• protection of women’s rights and strengthening their role in the fight against extremism and terrorism;
• protection of citizens abroad for a long time from the influence of extremist and terrorist ideas;
• combating the use of the Internet for extremist and terrorist purposes;
• broad involvement of civil society institutions and the mass media in the fight against extremism and terrorism;
• improving measures of legal prosecution and prosecution for committing and financing extremist and terrorist acts;
• improving the regulatory framework in the fight against extremism and terrorism;
• development of international and regional cooperation in this field.

The document states that the government will continue to provide all possible assistance to those who have suffered from the influence of destructive ideologies for religious reasons.

The document also envisages raising the legal culture and enlightenment of the population, training highly qualified personnel with religious and secular knowledge in the field of religion, able to form immunity among citizens against the ideology of religious extremism and active involvement of the mass media in the fight against extremism and terrorism.

Ministries and agencies and local governments are responsible for providing information to the State Security Service on a semi-annual basis on the implementation of measures outlined in the “Roadmap”, and the SSS Chairman (Abdusalom Azizov) is responsible for submitting generalized information and specific proposals to the Security Council under the President.

The Security Council under the President briefs the President of Uzbekistan on the implementation of the strategy every six months.

It is planned to implement this Strategy in three stages – in 2021-2026.