MP calls for life sentence for pedophiles in Uzbekistan

Member of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis and representative of the Milliy Tiklanish party, Dilnoza Azizova, has proposed introducing life imprisonment for any form of sexual violence against children.

The MP made the statement in response to a recent case in the Yangiqorgon district of Namangan region, where a seven-year-old girl was raped by an adult male relative.

“The Namangan case is not just the depravity of a single pedophile – it exposes a system that for years has excused such crimes under the mild term ‘correctional labor.’ A child’s life is not something to be trifled with. This is not only a crime – it is a rebellion against humanity,” Azizova wrote.

She added that releasing pedophiles early under the pretext of “good behavior” reveals the government’s disregard for children’s rights and safety.

“The law must be strict not only on paper but also in practice. There should be no leniency, forgiveness, or talk of ‘good behavior’ for such criminals. We have once again witnessed the need to set a life sentence in law for any form of sexual violence against children,” the MP stated.

According to Azizova, “if we treat pedophiles with leniency, we are destroying our own future.”