Illegal gold miners may be sentenced to 8-year imprisonment

In connection with the improvement of the legislation on preservation and protection of land and underground resources, a draft law providing for amendments to the Criminal and Administrative Responsibility Codes was discussed.

According to the bill, Article 1961 of the Criminal Code will be supplemented, and Article 702 of the Administrative Responsibility Code will be revised.

According to Article 1961, which is included in the Criminal Code, if unlicensed mining of minerals, as well as unlicensed mining by gold prospectors (excluding minerals located in underground waters and riverbeds) was committed after an administrative penalty was applied against such actions, they shall be punished by a fine in the amount of 100 to 300 BCAs or compulsory community service for up to 360 hours or correctional work for up to 3 years or restriction of freedom from 1 to 3 years or deprivation of liberty for up to 3 years.

If those actions were committed by a group of persons causing a large amount of damage and conspiring in advance, they shall be punished by a fine in the amount of 300 to 500 BCAs or restriction of liberty from 3 to 5 years or deprivation of liberty from 3 to 5 years.

If those acts are committed on a large scale, by or for the benefit of an organized group, a penalty of 5 to 8 years of imprisonment is applied.

According to the new version of Article 702 of the Administrative Responsibility Code, mining of minerals without a permit, as well as mining without a permit by gold prospectors (with the exception of minerals located in underground waters and riverbeds), the device used to commit an administrative offense shall be confiscated, citizens will be fined from 30 to 50 BCAs, and officials – from 50 to 100 BCAs.

Earlier, in the Senate of Oliy Majlis, the processes related to the mining of precious metals by the method of gold prospectors were discussed, and it was said that in the last 3 years, about 30 citizens died in the process of gold mining.