The legislation amends five codes and six laws to strengthen child protection and increase criminal liability for offenses against minors.
Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration, said violence against young children must never be tolerated and that perpetrators must face inevitable and uncompromising punishment.
“Anyone who abuses a child or causes them physical or psychological suffering will be held accountable, whether they work at an educational institution or are a close relative,” she said.
She also stressed that penalties for crimes resulting in a child’s death must not be reduced.
Under the new law, those convicted of sexual violence against a child under 14 face up to 25 years in prison or life imprisonment. The statute of limitations will no longer apply to the prosecution of these crimes, Mirziyoyeva said.
“A young child’s safety must never depend on circumstances or the situation. Anyone who threatens children’s lives, health or dignity must understand that they cannot escape severe punishment,” she added.
The law follows a case in Uchkurgan district, Namangan region, where a 52-year-old kindergarten employee was accused of raping a five-year-old girl.
