Uzbekistan strengthens penalties for human trafficking offenses

Amendments have been made to Article 135 of the Criminal Code, increasing penalties for crimes related to human trafficking.

Under the new provisions, committing human trafficking using forged documents, or by seizing, concealing, or destroying the victim’s identity documents, is now punishable by 5 to 10 years of imprisonment. Previously, the punishment ranged from 5 to 8 years.

Furthermore, if the crime results in the victim’s death or other serious consequences, the offender will face 10 to 15 years of imprisonment. This is an increase from the earlier punishment of 8 to 12 years.

The law came into effect on the date of its official publication.