Ministry investigates private Tashkent kindergarten over systemic child abuse allegations

The video evidence documents highly disturbing behavior by a primary caregiver. In one recording, the educator can be seen stuffing a piece of cloth into the mouth of a crying toddler to silence them. Other segments of the footage show the same employee forcefully shoving her fingers into a child's mouth and pinning another crying child's head tightly against her chest in a distressing manner.

The father of one of the mistreated children shared his experience, describing the harrowing contrast between the institution's promotional materials and the reality inside. He explained that he enrolled his young, non-verbal son based on glowing advertisements and extensive promises of quality care.

However, the father noticed alarming behavioral changes as his son began crying uncontrollably, trembling, and exhibiting signs of fear. After discovering small bruises on the boy's body that gradually multiplied, he demanded access to the facility's internal security recordings. The footage revealed that his son had been pinched repeatedly and silenced with a rag. The family has filed a formal complaint with the police and initiated a forensic medical examination to document the physical injuries. Parents also allege that the facility contains specific blind spots hidden from security cameras where children were routinely taken for punishment.

This is not the first instance of misconduct documented at the Rayan Kids facility. Court documents reveal that another 44-year-old educator from the same kindergarten was subjected to administrative penalties earlier this year. On March 13, the employee caused minor physical injuries to a child by forcefully pulling their legs. Following a legal complaint by the victim's mother, the Uchtepa District Criminal Court fined the educator three times the base calculating amount – equivalent to UZS 1,236,000 – on May 7, 2026.

The Ministry of Preschool and School Education has issued an official statement confirming that the situation is under formal review. A specialized working group, which includes law enforcement officials, has been established to investigate the matter.

The ministry stated that all details surrounding the incident will be fully clarified, and strict legal actions will be taken against any preschool employee found to have violated professional ethics or directly contributed to the abuse. Furthermore, the regulatory body emphasized that it will take immediate steps to revoke the operational licenses of any preschool facilities found failing to meet mandatory child safety and licensing requirements.