Nearly 100,000 administrative arrests, fivefold increase in deportations – Uzbekistan’s violation statistics

The Supreme Court of Uzbekistan has released statistics on the handling of administrative offense cases by first-instance courts in 2024.

Rising administrative offense cases

The number of administrative offense cases in Uzbekistan continues to rise.

In 2020, Uzbek courts handled over 341,000 administrative offense cases involving 426,000 individuals. By 2024, this number had nearly doubled, surpassing 613,000 cases with 740,994 individuals involved.

Among all regions, Tashkent city had the highest number of administrative offenses, with 95,000 cases and over 113,000 individuals involved. The Tashkent and Fergana regions followed with 71,000 and 62,000 cases, respectively. These three regions also topped the list for criminal cases in 2024.

Over the past five years, these regions have consistently recorded the highest numbers of criminal and administrative offenses. While demographic factors — such as larger populations — may partially explain these figures, no other official explanations have been provided.

The regions with the lowest number of administrative offenses were Sirdarya, Jizzakh, and Navoi.

Increase in female and young offenders

Between 2021 and 2024, the number of female offenders crossed the 100,000 mark, increasing alongside male offenders.

For instance, in 2021, 431,000 men and 96,000 women were found guilty of administrative offenses. By 2024, these numbers had risen to over 605,000 men and 135,000 women.

Additionally, the number of young people (aged 18–30) involved in administrative offenses grew significantly, from 184,000 in 2021 to 264,000 in 2024.

Common administrative offenses

The Supreme Court highlighted six widespread types of administrative offenses.

• Insult-related offenses peaked in 2021 with 59,128 recorded cases but dropped to 51,000 by 2024. The highest number of such cases in 2024 occurred in the Kashkadarya, Samarkand, and Surkhandarya regions.
• Bodily harm offenses also declined, from 37,000 in previous years to 24,000 in 2024.
• Petty hooliganism (Article 183 of the Administrative Code), often criticized by legal experts as a "catch-all charge," has sharply increased. In 2020, 39,000 people were charged under this article, whereas in 2024, the number exceeded 95,000. More than 35% of these cases occurred in Tashkent city and the Tashkent region, with 34,465 recorded incidents.
• Driving under the influence has also been on the rise. In 2020, 23,000 cases involving intoxicated drivers were brought to court, increasing to over 26,000 in 2024. The regions with the highest numbers of such cases were Samarkand (4,204), Khorezm (2,768), and Karakalpakstan (2,669). The lowest numbers were recorded in Namangan (757) and Sirdarya (562).

Types of administrative punishments

According to Article 23 of Uzbekistan's Administrative Liability Code, there are seven types of administrative penalties:

• Fines
• Confiscation of property used in committing the offense
• Confiscation of objects used as tools of the offense
• Deprivation of special rights (e.g., driving or hunting licenses)
• Compulsory community service
• Administrative detention
• Deportation of foreign nationals and stateless persons

Surge in administrative detentions

Fines were the most commonly imposed administrative punishment in 2024, with 379,000 cases. This was followed by administrative detention and deprivation of special rights.

The use of administrative detention has increased significantly in recent years. In 2020, 34,000 people were subjected to administrative detention, but by 2024, this figure had risen to over 88,000.

The Supreme Court did not disclose details regarding the duration of administrative detentions or the gender distribution of detainees. However, under normal circumstances, the maximum detention period is 15 days, which can extend to 30 days during a state of emergency.

The highest number of administrative detentions in 2024 was recorded in Tashkent city (25,388 cases), followed by the Tashkent (13,500 cases) and Fergana (9,300 cases) regions. The lowest numbers were in Navoi (1,546 cases), Jizzakh (1,741 cases), and Khorezm (1,830 cases).

Fivefold increase in deportations

Among all administrative penalties, deportation saw the most significant rise in 2024.

In 2023, only 112 people were deported from Uzbekistan. By 2024, this number had surged to 528—a nearly fivefold increase. The reasons behind these deportations remain unclear.

Case dismissals and settlements

Despite the high number of administrative offenses recorded, many cases were dismissed or settled.

In 2024, more than 203,000 administrative cases involving 271,000 individuals were closed. Among these, 6,203 cases were dismissed due to a lack of evidence or violation indicators. Additionally, over 55,000 cases involving 94,800 individuals were closed due to reconciliation between the parties.

Administrative cases beyond the courts

The total number of administrative offenses in Uzbekistan in 2024 was much higher than the 740,000 cases mentioned, as not all cases are handled by the courts.

Under Chapter XVIII of the Administrative Liability Code, 48 government agencies have the authority to review administrative offenses within their jurisdiction.

For instance, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) issues the majority of administrative violation reports, particularly in relation to traffic offenses. In 2024 alone, nearly 20 million traffic violations were recorded in Uzbekistan — mostly via speed cameras. However, the statistics in this report only cover cases reviewed in court.