The President supported measures to tighten penalties for violence against women and children, including the introduction of life imprisonment for criminals convicted of pedophilia.
This decision was a result of proposals made by Dilnoza Azizova, a deputy of the lower house of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, who in October 2025 suggested life imprisonment for any forms of sexual violence against children. Her statement was prompted by a horrific case from the Namangan region, where a 38-year-old man raped his seven-year-old relative.
In neighboring Kazakhstan, authorities decided on chemical castration for pedophiles six months before their release, and they also plan to introduce lifelong monitoring of them.
Kyrgyzstan has also discussed the possibility of reinstating the death penalty for the most serious crimes committed against children and women.
