318 people convicted of sexual harassment in Uzbekistan in Q1 2024

The total number of people convicted under this article since April 2023, when it came into force, has reached 984 people (666 in 2023).

Punishment for sexual harassment is a fine from 2 to 5 BCAs or administrative arrest for up to 5 days, for repeated violation within a year – a fine from 5 to 7 BCAs or administrative arrest for up to 15 days.

Under Article 141-3 of the Criminal Code “Disclosure of information that infringes on the honor and dignity of a person and reflects intimate aspects of a person’s life” (also included in the Code in April last year), 40 people were convicted in three months. Of these, 13 were sentenced to imprisonment and 27 to non-custodial sentences. Over the past year, 48 people were convicted under this article.

This crime is punishable by a fine of 400 to 600 BCAs or compulsory community service for up to 360 hours or correctional labor for up to 3 years. The same actions, committed repeatedly or by a dangerous recidivist, by prior conspiracy by a group of persons or in relation to a person known to the perpetrator to be under 18 years of age, are punishable by compulsory community service from 360 to 480 hours or restriction of freedom from 1 to 3 years or imprisonment for up to 3 years.

Gazeta.uz wrote in detail about amendments to laws aimed at strengthening the system for protecting women and children and adopted in April last year. A group of representatives of ministries and departments, non-governmental and international organizations, as well as civil activists, including activists of the Nemolchi.uz project, worked on them for a year.

Thanks to the amendments, in particular, domestic violence now entails administrative and criminal liability, and harassment has become considered an offense. The sentences for crimes against sexual freedom and the inviolability of children have also been increased.