TASHKENT, Monday, June 15, 2026 (WNP): Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva, on Monday announced the enactment of a major new law aimed at strengthening accountability for drug-related crimes, describing it as a decisive step to protect public health, safeguard the nation’s future generations and combat organized narcotics networks.
In a statement, Mirziyoyeva said the legislation, signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, introduces new criminal liabilities for particularly dangerous offenses that were not previously covered under Uzbek law.
She said the law establishes penalties for operating clandestine drug laboratories, maintaining drug dens, sponsoring narcotics-related activities, and trafficking drugs through transnational networks or internet platforms.
Under the new legislation, individuals convicted of such crimes can face prison sentences of up to 20 years. Mirziyoyeva noted that penalties for serious drug offenses have been significantly increased, nearly doubling previous punishments.
She said in the past, some individuals convicted of narcotics crimes were able to secure early release and subsequently resume criminal activities. Under the new law, those convicted of serious drug offenses will no longer be eligible for early release and will be required to serve their full sentences.
The legislation also introduces tougher measures to protect minors. Encouraging or inducing children and adolescents to use narcotics will now be treated as a serious criminal offense punishable by five to ten years’ imprisonment.
Individuals found involving minors in drug-related crimes within educational institutions, schools, student dormitories or children’s camps could face prison terms of up to ten years, she added.
Mirziyoyeva emphasized that the law is not intended solely to punish offenders but also to protect the health and genetic well-being of the population and prevent young people from falling victim to drug abuse and criminal exploitation.
Addressing parents directly, she said the government had declared an uncompromising fight against drug-related crime and was taking comprehensive measures to eliminate the threat.
She noted that a special republican task force operating under the Presidential Administration was actively combating narcotics trafficking, dismantling clandestine drug laboratories and targeting organized criminal groups involved in the drug trade.
However, she stressed that the fight against narcotics could not succeed without public support and called on parents to remain vigilant regarding their children’s lives and activities.
“Children are the future of our nation,” Mirziyoyeva said, urging families to work alongside state institutions to prevent the spread of drugs and protect future generations.
She expressed hope that no family in Uzbekistan would suffer from the devastating consequences of narcotics and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating drug-related crime throughout the country.
