President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a law on 20 February aimed at “further strengthening the protection of children’s rights”. The document was adopted by the Legislative Chamber on 14 August, 2024, and approved by the Senate on 16 August.
The law amends article 47 of the Administrative Liability Code, introducing penalties for parents or guardians who unlawfully involve children in religious education. Violators face fines ranging from 5 to 10 basic calculation units (BCU), equivalent to 1.875 to 3.75 million soums, or $145 to $291.
A repeated offense within a year after an administrative penalty will result in a fine of 10 to 15 BCU (3.75 to 5.625 million soums, or $291 to $436) or up to 15 days of administrative arrest.
Additionally, the law “On guarantees of children’s rights” was amended to affirm that parents and guardians have the right to provide religious and moral upbringing to their children in accordance with their personal beliefs.
However, illegally involving children in religious education is strictly prohibited. This includes sending children to unregistered or unlicensed religious institutions, as well as entrusting their religious education to individuals without formal religious training or authorization from the central body overseeing religious organizations in Uzbekistan.
The law emphasizes that its primary goal is to “ensure the child’s right to education and foster their harmonious personal development”.
