The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis approved the draft law “On introducing amendments and additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan on further strengthening of children’s rights” in the first reading on Tuesday.
The draft law proposes to amend Article 47 of the Administrative Liability Code (“Failure to fulfill obligations to raise and educate children”) by including sanctions for the illegal involvement of children in religious education by parents or guardians, the chamber’s press service reported.
The proposal includes fines of 10 to 15 basic calculation values (BCVs) for parents or guardians who illegally involve children in religious education.
If the same violation occurs within a year after an administrative penalty, the fines may increase to 15 to 25 BCVs, or the offender may face administrative arrest for up to 15 days.
Additionally, the law would prohibit parents or guardians from involving children in religious education that violates the law, such as transferring them to unregistered or unlicensed organizations or to individuals without special religious education or permission from the central governing body of religious organizations.
The adoption of the law “will serve to protect the rights of children in education, their becoming harmoniously developed individuals and prevent them from falling victim to the ideas of religious extremism, separatism, and fanaticism”, the report says.
