Uzbekistan to introduce criminal liability for financing extremism

A draft law will be developed in Uzbekistan to align liability for crimes related to the legalization of criminal proceeds with international standards. This is outlined in the Presidential Decree “On Measures to Effectively Organize the Implementation of Priority Tasks to Further Improve the System for Combating Corruption,” adopted on April 21 of this year.

The draft law proposes several key changes:

- Redistribution of penalties for crimes involving the legalization of criminal proceeds in proportion to the level of social danger posed by the offense;  
- Establishment of administrative and criminal liability for the use of insider information or manipulation in the securities market;  
- Introduction of criminal liability for financing extremism.

The draft law is expected to be finalized in May. Responsibility for its development and implementation has been assigned to the Prosecutor General's Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Anti-Corruption Agency.

It is worth noting that Uzbekistan has already established liability for training individuals with the intent to incite mass disorders. In particular, the law “On Amendments to Article 244 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan” introduces provisions establishing liability for such training, as well as for financing these activities.