The order of application of Amnesty Act in the Republic of Uzbekistan is approved

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed the Law «On introducing changes and additions to several legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in connection with improvement of the implementation of Amnesty Act». This Law was adopted by Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis (Parliament) of Uzbekistan on 19 November 2008, and approved by Senate of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan on 4 December 2008. The document regulates the order of application of amnesty during the pre-judicial stage and execution of criminal punishments.

The Law defines an order of referring a material or criminal case by investigator or inspector to public prosecutor, and also an order of excitation by public prosecutor of the petition to the court about the refusal to institute a criminal case or termination of criminal case on the basis of amnesty act. It also stipulates the order of judicial consideration of a material and decision-making.

The Law stipulates addition of a new article «On application of Amnesty Act at pre-judicial stage» to the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Besides, number of changes has been introduced to the article 166 of the Criminal Executive Code and the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan «On Office of Public Prosecutor» in order to bring them to conformity with the specified changes and additions.

Amnesty Act in connection with 17th Anniversary of Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, presented by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, was approved by Senate of Oliy Majlis on 28 August 2008.

In November 2007, in accordance with the submission of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Amnesty Act in connection with 15th Anniversary of Constitution of Uzbekistan has been applied with respect to 44 thousand persons. According to the Act, women and persons under 18 at the moment of committing a crime, who have committed a crime for the first time, have been released from punishment. Citizens of foreign states, persons, who have committed crimes on imprudence and not representing threats for public safety and men who have reached 60 year of age have also been released.

According to the Ministry of Justice, 295,9 million sum (about 220 thousand US Dollars) have been allocated from budget for the amnestied persons as a material aid.

After the beginning of activity of Two Chamber Parliament in Uzbekistan since January 2005, the right to approve the Amnesty Act presented by the Head of the State was granted to Senate. Before, it was an exclusive prerogative of the President. Senate of Uzbekistan has approved the Amnesty Act for the first time in 2005 in connection with 13th Anniversary of the Constitution.