Uzbekistan changes minimum age for criminal prosecution 

Penalties were increased for having sex with minors and engaging in obscene acts against them. The President signed the relevant law, Uznews.uz reports. 

The law “On amendments and additions to some legislative acts in connection with the further improvement of the system of guarantees of the rights of the child” was signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

According to the document:

- The minimum age for criminal prosecution has been established as 14 years (in practice – 13 years);
- Criminal liability is established for sexual intercourse with minors under the age of 16 through the transfer of material values   or property interests, and penalties for crimes in this area are strengthened;
Article 128 of the Criminal Code (sexual intercourse with a person under the age of sixteen) increases the maximum term of imprisonment from 5 to 7 years;
- Article 129-1 of the Criminal Code (committing obscene acts against a person under the age of sixteen) increases the sentence from 1 to 2 years.

Measures are being taken to strengthen the procedural guarantees of the rights of the child during the investigation, including:

- The total duration of the interrogation of a juvenile victim or witness shall not exceed 4 hours (in practice – 8 hours), excluding an hour-long break for rest and meals during the day;
- At the initiative of the parties, a procedure is established to ensure the participation of a psychologist in the interrogation of a minor.