Surkhandarya woman jailed for six years for attempting to sell her newborn

A court in Surkhandarya region has sentenced a woman to six years in prison for attempting to sell her four-day-old baby.

The Termez District Court for Criminal Cases found the 24-year-old woman guilty of human trafficking after she agreed to sell her newborn son for $1,500, Daryo reported.

The woman, identified as S.J., gave birth on January 11, 2026, at a maternity hospital in Termez district. She told medical staff she was unmarried and did not know the identity of the child’s father.

While at the hospital, she was introduced to a prospective buyer through medical staff and agreed to hand over the baby in exchange for money, citing a desire to avoid social stigma and cover financial obligations.

Law enforcement officers detained her on January 15 while she was receiving $1,400 and UZS 1.2 million from the buyer, according to the case materials.

In court, the defendant said she had initially intended to give the child away but later requested payment after being pressed by the buyer.

The court found her guilty under Article 135 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code (human trafficking) and sentenced her to six years in prison under Article 57.

The case also revealed that the child was born with a congenital condition requiring treatment, which the prospective buyer had offered to cover.