From 2022 to 2025, 338 criminal cases related to the participation of citizens in international armed conflicts were registered in Uzbekistan. Security Service officials noted that they record hundreds of cases each year where citizens become members of religious extremist or terrorist groups, as well as foreign mercenaries. The overwhelming majority of these individuals found themselves in such situations due to manipulation by criminal groups or deception, and in some cases, due to a desire for financial gain.
The statistics on mercenarism cases are as follows: in 2022 — 19 cases, in 2023 — 68, in 2024 — 112, and in 2025 — 139.
According to the first part of Article 154 of the Criminal Code, participation in hostilities on the side of a foreign state or armed group is punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to ten years. The second part of this article, which concerns the recruitment, training, financing, or use of mercenaries, provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of seven to twelve years.
