13.12.2024 08:20
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Those who organize public unrest will be punished



Uzbekistan is introducing liability for "online or offline" education and financing with the aim of organizing mass unrest, "based on modern realities." Such a crime can result in a fine of up to 225 million soums or up to 7 years in prison.


The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan adopted in the first reading a draft law on amendments to Article 244 of the Criminal Code (public disorder) at a meeting held on December 11.

Deputy Prosecutor General Svetlana Artikova provided an explanation regarding the document.

The current legislation provides for criminal liability for organizing mass riots, active participation in them, and the use of violence against citizens. Now, by amending Article 244 of the Criminal Code, it is proposed to establish criminal liability for receiving education for the purpose of committing mass riots and financing their organization.

"These are dangerous times. We must be able to protect humanity, society, and statehood. A natural question arises: is criminal liability provided for training for the purpose of committing mass riots, including the manufacture of weapons, explosives, or special devices that may pose a danger to others?" Artikova asked.

"Does this constitute a crime? In our opinion, it does. Here, the object of the crime is a person, society and the state, and the subject is the person who wants to commit it," said the deputy prosecutor general.

He noted that financing activities to organize mass riots is a crime and should be subject to criminal liability.

"Therefore, it is proposed to supplement Article 244 of the Criminal Code with parts three and four, aimed at protecting the peaceful and orderly life of our country... The principle of the inevitability of punishment is used not for punishment, but for the prevention of crime. If someone participates in such activities online or offline... Mass riots are disrupting our lives. Someone participates in these events consciously, while someone participates unknowingly," said Svetlana Artikova.

It is noted that the proposed amendments to the Criminal Code do not require additional expenditures from the state budget. The draft document has been agreed upon with the Supreme Court, the State Security Service, the Ministries of Economy and Finance, the Interior, and Justice.

The Deputy Prosecutor General did not specify what penalties are envisaged for these actions.

What are the proposed changes?

The amendments propose to introduce liability for receiving education for the purpose of organizing mass riots. In particular, participation in training for the purpose of organizing mass riots, including acquiring knowledge, practical skills and qualifications for organizing mass riots, as well as learning how to handle weapons, explosive devices, explosive, poisonous and other substances and objects that are dangerous to the environment, is punishable by a fine of 300 to 600 times the basic calculation amount (from 112.5 million to 225 million soums), correctional labor for up to 3 years, or imprisonment for a term of 5 to 7 years.

In this case, a person who committed a crime under this part of the article is exempt from criminal liability if he voluntarily reports it to the authorities, actively assists in exposing the committed crime, or in identifying other persons who underwent such training, carried out, organized, or financed the training, as well as the place where the training was conducted, and if his actions do not contain other elements of the crime.

In addition, an addition is being made to Part 2 of the article on financing. In particular, the organization or financing of mass riots committed with violence against a person, robbery, explosions, damage to or destruction of property, use of weapons or other objects used as weapons against a representative of the authorities or with the threat of use, as well as active participation in mass riots, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 15 years.

Justification
The explanatory note to the draft law states that "based on modern realities, there is a need to improve national legislation in this area."

According to the National Guard, the organizers of the mass riots that occurred in neighboring countries received special training, and cases of financing of these riots have also been identified.

A study of the criminal legislation of foreign countries (Russia, Belarus, etc.) has revealed that special responsibility is established for obtaining education and financing for the purpose of organizing mass unrest.

Based on this and in order to improve the legal framework for combating such negative events, it is planned to amend Article 244 of the Criminal Code, the explanatory note says.

Voting

The draft law had not previously been subject to public discussion.

The deputies did not ask any questions regarding the amendments. The document was adopted in the first reading. 138 deputies voted for it, 1 voted against, 1 abstained, and 8 did not participate in the vote.

The bill is reviewed by committees and party factions of the lower house of parliament, and then submitted for discussion in the second reading.