Uzbekistan introduces fines for unauthorized public education activities, trainings and seminars

With an increasing interest in self-development programs and their rise as significant revenue streams, the law addresses the need to prevent the spread of unverified teachings. Instances of unauthorized “enlightenment activities” aimed at influencing the beliefs, values, and emotions of the population—particularly youth — have been rising, prompting a legal response.

A new article, 59-4, has been added to the Administrative Responsibility Code, imposing fines for conducting educational activities without authorization. Individuals who violate these regulations face fines ranging from 5 to 10 times the base calculation unit (BCU), amounting to approximately 1.875 million to 3.75 million UZS. For officials, the fines range from 10 to 15 times the BCU, or about 3.75 million to 5.625 million UZS. Repeat offenses within a year increase the fines to 10-15 times the BCU for individuals and 15-20 times for officials, reaching up to 7.5 million UZS.

The law defines “enlightenment activities” as non-state-standardized educational activities focused on developing personal, intellectual, and moral skills necessary for individual growth, social and economic engagement, intellectual potential, creativity, and communication skills.

These measures aim to safeguard the public from misleading information and promote credible and legally compliant educational activities.