| UZBEKISTAN Republic of Uzbekistan Ozbekiston Respublikasi Joined United Nations: 2 March 1992 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Updated 06 November 2012 |
PART TWO
BASIC HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS, FREEDOMS AND DUTIES
Chapter 5. General Provisions
Article 18. All citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have equal rights and freedoms, and shall be equal before the law, without
discrimination by sex, race, nationality, language, religion, social origin, convictions, individual and social status.
Any privileges may be granted solely by the law and shall conform to the principles of social justice.
Article 19. Both citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the state shall be bound by mutual rights and mutual responsibility. Citizens'
rights and freedoms, established by the Constitution and the laws, shall be inalienable. No one shall have the power to deny a citizen his
rights and freedoms, or to infringe on them except by the sentence of a court.
Article 20. The exercise of rights and freedoms by a citizen shall not encroach on the lawful interests, rights and freedoms of other
citizens, the state or society.
Chapter 6. Citizenship
Article 21. In the Republic of Uzbekistan, uniform citizenship shall be established throughout its territory.
Citizenship in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be equal for all regardless of the grounds of its acquisition.
Every citizen of the Republic of Karakalpakstan shall be a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The grounds and procedure for acquiring and forfeiting citizenship shall be defined by law.
Article 22. The Republic of Uzbekistan shall guarantee legal protection to all its citizens both on the territory of the republic and abroad.
Article 23. Foreign citizens and stateless persons, during their stay on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, shall be guaranteed the
rights and freedoms in accordance with the norms of international law.
They shall perform the duties established by the Constitution, laws, and international agreements signed by the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Chapter 7. Personal Rights and Freedoms
Article 24. The right to exist is the inalienable right of every human being. Attempts on anyone's life shall be regarded as the gravest crime.
Article 25. Everyone shall have the right to freedom and inviolability of the person.
No one may be arrested or taken into custody except on lawful grounds.
Article 26. No one may be adjudged guilty of a crime except by the sentence of a court and in conformity with the law. Such a person
shall be guaranteed the right to legal defense during open court proceedings.
No one may be subject to torture, violence or any other cruel or humiliating treatment.
No one may be subject to any medical or scientific experiments without his consent.
Article 27. Everyone shall be entitled to protection against encroachments on his honor, dignity, and interference in his private life, and
shall be guaranteed inviolability of the home.
No one may enter a home, carry out a search or an examination, or violate the privacy of correspondence and telephone conversations,
except on lawful grounds and in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
Article 28. Any citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have the right to freedom of movement on the territory of the Republic, as well
as a free entry to and exit from it, except in the events specified by law.
Article 29. Everyone shall be guaranteed freedom of thought, speech and convictions. Everyone shall have the right to seek, obtain and
disseminate any information, except that which is directed against the existing constitutional system and in some other instances specified
by law.
Freedom of opinion and its expression may be restricted by law if any state or other secret is involved.
Article 30. All state bodies, public associations and officials in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall allow any citizen access to documents,
resolutions and other materials, relating to their rights and interests.
Article 31. Freedom of conscience is guaranteed to all. Everyone shall have the right to profess or not to profess any religion. Any
compulsory imposition of religion shall be impermissible.
Chapter 8. Political Rights
Article 32. All citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have the right to participate in the management and administration of public and
state affairs, both directly and through representation. They may exercise this right by way of self-government, referendums and
democratic formation of state bodies.
Article 33. All citizens shall have the right to engage in public life by holding rallies, meetings and demonstrations in accordance with the
legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The bodies of authority shall have the right to suspend or ban such undertakings exclusively on
the grounds of security.
Article 34. All citizens of the republic of Uzbekistan shall have the right to form trade unions, political parties and any other public
associations, and to participate in mass movements.
No one may infringe on the rights, freedoms and dignity of the individuals, constituting the minority opposition in political parties, public
associations and mass movements, as well as in representative bodies of authority.
Article 35. Everyone shall have the right, both individually and collectively, to submit applications and proposals, and to lodge complaints
with competent state bodies, institutions and public representatives.
Such applications, proposals and complaints shall be considered in accordance with the procedure and within the time-limit specified by
law.
Chapter 9. Economic and Social Rights
Article 36. Everyone shall have the right to own property.
The privacy of bank deposits and the right to inheritance shall be guaranteed by law.
Article 37. Everyone shall have the right to work, including the right to choose their occupation. Every citizen shall be entitled to fair
conditions of labor and protection against unemployment in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
Any forced labor shall be prohibited, except as punishment under the sentence of a court, or in some other Instances specified by law.
Article 38. Citizens working on hire shall be entitled to a paid rest. The number of working hours and the duration of paid leave shall be
specified by law.
Article 39. Everyone shall have the right to social security in old age, in the event of disability and loss of the breadwinner as well as in
some other cases specified by law.
Pensions, allowances and other kinds of welfare may not be lower than the officially fixed minimum subsistence wage.
Article 40. Everyone shall have the right to receive skilled medical care.
Article 41. Everyone shall have the right to education. The state shall guarantee free secondary education. Schooling shall be under state
supervision.
Article 42. Everyone shall be guaranteed the freedom of scientific research and engineering work, as well as the right to enjoy cultural
benefits. The state shall promote the cultural, scientific and technical development of society.
Chapter 10. Guarantees of Human Rights and Freedoms
Article 43. The state shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of citizens proclaimed by the Constitution and laws.
Article 44. Everyone shall be entitled to legally defend his rights and freedoms, and shall have the right to appeal any unlawful action of
state bodies, officials and public associations.
Article 45. The rights of minors, the disabled, and the elderly shall be protected by the state.
Article 46. Women and men shall have equal rights.
Chapter 11. Duties of Citizens
Article 47. All citizens shall perform the duties established by the Constitution.
Article 48. All citizens shall be obliged to observe the Constitution and laws, and to respect the rights, freedoms, honor and dignity of
others.
Article 49. It is the duty of every citizen to protect the historical, spiritual and cultural heritage of the people of Uzbekistan.
Cultural monuments shall have protection by the state.
Article 50. All citizens shall protect the environment. Article 51. All citizens shall be obliged to pay taxes and local fees established by law.
Article 52. Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan is the duty of every citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Citizens will be obliged to
perform military or alternative service in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
PART THREE
SOCIETY AND THE INDIVIDUAL
Chapter 12. The Economic Foundation of Society
Article 53. The economy of Uzbekistan, evolving towards market relations, is based on various forms of ownership. The state shall
guarantee freedom of economic activity, entrepreneurship and labor with due regard for the priority of consumers' rights, as well as
equality and legal protection of all forms of ownership.
Private property, along with the other types of property, shall be inviolable and protected by the state. An owner may be deprived of his
property solely in the cases and in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
Article 54. An owner shall possess, use and dispose of his property. The use of any property must not be harmful to the ecological
environment, nor shall it infringe on the rights and legally protected interests of citizens, juridical entities or the state.
Article 55. The land, its minerals, fauna and flora, as well as other natural resources shall constitute the national wealth, and shall be
rationally used and protected by the state
Chapter 13. Public Associations
Article 56. Trade unions, political parties, and scientific societies, as well as women's, veterans' and youth leagues, professional
associations, mass movements and other organizations registered in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law, shall have the
status of public associations in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Article 57. The formation and functioning of political parties and public associations aiming to do the following shall be prohibited:
changing the existing constitutional system by force; coming out against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the Republic,
as well as the constitutional rights and freedoms of its citizens; advocating war and social, national, racial and religious hostility, and
encroaching on the health and morality of the people, as well as of any armed associations and political parties based on the national or
religious principles.
All secret societies and associations shall be banned.
Article 58. The state shall safeguard the rights and lawful interests of public associations and provide them with equal legal possibilities for
participating in public life.
Interference by state bodies and officials in the activity of public associations, as well as interference by public associations in the activity
of state bodies and officials is impermissible.
Article 59. Trade unions shall express and protect the socioeconomic rights and interests of the working people. Membership in trade
unions is optional.
Article 60. Political parties shall express the political will of various sections and groups of the population, and through their
democratically elected representatives shall participate in the formation of state authority. Political parties shall submit public reports on
their financial sources to the Oliy Majlis or their plenipotentiary body in a prescribed manner.
Article 61. Religious organizations and associations shall be separated from the state and equal before law. The state shall not interfere
with the activity of religious associations.
Article 62. Public associations may be dissolved or banned, or subject to restricted activity solely by the sentence of a court.
Chapter 14. Family
Article 63. The family is the primary unit of society and shall have the right to state and societal protection.
Marriage shall be based on the willing consent and equality of both parties.
Article 64. Parents shall be obliged to support and care for their children until the latter are of age.
The state and society shall support, care for and educate orphaned children, as well as children deprived of parental guardianship, and
encourage charity in their favor.
Article 65. All children shall be equal before the law regardless of their origin and the civic status of their parents.
Motherhood and childhood shall be protected by the state.
Article 66. Able-bodied children who are of age shall be obliged to care for their parents.
Chapter 15. Mass Media
Article 67. The mass media shall be free and act in accordance with the law. It shall bear responsibility for trustworthiness of information
in a prescribed manner. Censorship is impermissible.
BASIC HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS, FREEDOMS AND DUTIES
Chapter 5. General Provisions
Article 18. All citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have equal rights and freedoms, and shall be equal before the law, without
discrimination by sex, race, nationality, language, religion, social origin, convictions, individual and social status.
Any privileges may be granted solely by the law and shall conform to the principles of social justice.
Article 19. Both citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the state shall be bound by mutual rights and mutual responsibility. Citizens'
rights and freedoms, established by the Constitution and the laws, shall be inalienable. No one shall have the power to deny a citizen his
rights and freedoms, or to infringe on them except by the sentence of a court.
Article 20. The exercise of rights and freedoms by a citizen shall not encroach on the lawful interests, rights and freedoms of other
citizens, the state or society.
Chapter 6. Citizenship
Article 21. In the Republic of Uzbekistan, uniform citizenship shall be established throughout its territory.
Citizenship in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be equal for all regardless of the grounds of its acquisition.
Every citizen of the Republic of Karakalpakstan shall be a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The grounds and procedure for acquiring and forfeiting citizenship shall be defined by law.
Article 22. The Republic of Uzbekistan shall guarantee legal protection to all its citizens both on the territory of the republic and abroad.
Article 23. Foreign citizens and stateless persons, during their stay on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, shall be guaranteed the
rights and freedoms in accordance with the norms of international law.
They shall perform the duties established by the Constitution, laws, and international agreements signed by the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Chapter 7. Personal Rights and Freedoms
Article 24. The right to exist is the inalienable right of every human being. Attempts on anyone's life shall be regarded as the gravest crime.
Article 25. Everyone shall have the right to freedom and inviolability of the person.
No one may be arrested or taken into custody except on lawful grounds.
Article 26. No one may be adjudged guilty of a crime except by the sentence of a court and in conformity with the law. Such a person
shall be guaranteed the right to legal defense during open court proceedings.
No one may be subject to torture, violence or any other cruel or humiliating treatment.
No one may be subject to any medical or scientific experiments without his consent.
Article 27. Everyone shall be entitled to protection against encroachments on his honor, dignity, and interference in his private life, and
shall be guaranteed inviolability of the home.
No one may enter a home, carry out a search or an examination, or violate the privacy of correspondence and telephone conversations,
except on lawful grounds and in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
Article 28. Any citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have the right to freedom of movement on the territory of the Republic, as well
as a free entry to and exit from it, except in the events specified by law.
Article 29. Everyone shall be guaranteed freedom of thought, speech and convictions. Everyone shall have the right to seek, obtain and
disseminate any information, except that which is directed against the existing constitutional system and in some other instances specified
by law.
Freedom of opinion and its expression may be restricted by law if any state or other secret is involved.
Article 30. All state bodies, public associations and officials in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall allow any citizen access to documents,
resolutions and other materials, relating to their rights and interests.
Article 31. Freedom of conscience is guaranteed to all. Everyone shall have the right to profess or not to profess any religion. Any
compulsory imposition of religion shall be impermissible.
Chapter 8. Political Rights
Article 32. All citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have the right to participate in the management and administration of public and
state affairs, both directly and through representation. They may exercise this right by way of self-government, referendums and
democratic formation of state bodies.
Article 33. All citizens shall have the right to engage in public life by holding rallies, meetings and demonstrations in accordance with the
legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The bodies of authority shall have the right to suspend or ban such undertakings exclusively on
the grounds of security.
Article 34. All citizens of the republic of Uzbekistan shall have the right to form trade unions, political parties and any other public
associations, and to participate in mass movements.
No one may infringe on the rights, freedoms and dignity of the individuals, constituting the minority opposition in political parties, public
associations and mass movements, as well as in representative bodies of authority.
Article 35. Everyone shall have the right, both individually and collectively, to submit applications and proposals, and to lodge complaints
with competent state bodies, institutions and public representatives.
Such applications, proposals and complaints shall be considered in accordance with the procedure and within the time-limit specified by
law.
Chapter 9. Economic and Social Rights
Article 36. Everyone shall have the right to own property.
The privacy of bank deposits and the right to inheritance shall be guaranteed by law.
Article 37. Everyone shall have the right to work, including the right to choose their occupation. Every citizen shall be entitled to fair
conditions of labor and protection against unemployment in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
Any forced labor shall be prohibited, except as punishment under the sentence of a court, or in some other Instances specified by law.
Article 38. Citizens working on hire shall be entitled to a paid rest. The number of working hours and the duration of paid leave shall be
specified by law.
Article 39. Everyone shall have the right to social security in old age, in the event of disability and loss of the breadwinner as well as in
some other cases specified by law.
Pensions, allowances and other kinds of welfare may not be lower than the officially fixed minimum subsistence wage.
Article 40. Everyone shall have the right to receive skilled medical care.
Article 41. Everyone shall have the right to education. The state shall guarantee free secondary education. Schooling shall be under state
supervision.
Article 42. Everyone shall be guaranteed the freedom of scientific research and engineering work, as well as the right to enjoy cultural
benefits. The state shall promote the cultural, scientific and technical development of society.
Chapter 10. Guarantees of Human Rights and Freedoms
Article 43. The state shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of citizens proclaimed by the Constitution and laws.
Article 44. Everyone shall be entitled to legally defend his rights and freedoms, and shall have the right to appeal any unlawful action of
state bodies, officials and public associations.
Article 45. The rights of minors, the disabled, and the elderly shall be protected by the state.
Article 46. Women and men shall have equal rights.
Chapter 11. Duties of Citizens
Article 47. All citizens shall perform the duties established by the Constitution.
Article 48. All citizens shall be obliged to observe the Constitution and laws, and to respect the rights, freedoms, honor and dignity of
others.
Article 49. It is the duty of every citizen to protect the historical, spiritual and cultural heritage of the people of Uzbekistan.
Cultural monuments shall have protection by the state.
Article 50. All citizens shall protect the environment. Article 51. All citizens shall be obliged to pay taxes and local fees established by law.
Article 52. Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan is the duty of every citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Citizens will be obliged to
perform military or alternative service in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
PART THREE
SOCIETY AND THE INDIVIDUAL
Chapter 12. The Economic Foundation of Society
Article 53. The economy of Uzbekistan, evolving towards market relations, is based on various forms of ownership. The state shall
guarantee freedom of economic activity, entrepreneurship and labor with due regard for the priority of consumers' rights, as well as
equality and legal protection of all forms of ownership.
Private property, along with the other types of property, shall be inviolable and protected by the state. An owner may be deprived of his
property solely in the cases and in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
Article 54. An owner shall possess, use and dispose of his property. The use of any property must not be harmful to the ecological
environment, nor shall it infringe on the rights and legally protected interests of citizens, juridical entities or the state.
Article 55. The land, its minerals, fauna and flora, as well as other natural resources shall constitute the national wealth, and shall be
rationally used and protected by the state
Chapter 13. Public Associations
Article 56. Trade unions, political parties, and scientific societies, as well as women's, veterans' and youth leagues, professional
associations, mass movements and other organizations registered in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law, shall have the
status of public associations in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Article 57. The formation and functioning of political parties and public associations aiming to do the following shall be prohibited:
changing the existing constitutional system by force; coming out against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the Republic,
as well as the constitutional rights and freedoms of its citizens; advocating war and social, national, racial and religious hostility, and
encroaching on the health and morality of the people, as well as of any armed associations and political parties based on the national or
religious principles.
All secret societies and associations shall be banned.
Article 58. The state shall safeguard the rights and lawful interests of public associations and provide them with equal legal possibilities for
participating in public life.
Interference by state bodies and officials in the activity of public associations, as well as interference by public associations in the activity
of state bodies and officials is impermissible.
Article 59. Trade unions shall express and protect the socioeconomic rights and interests of the working people. Membership in trade
unions is optional.
Article 60. Political parties shall express the political will of various sections and groups of the population, and through their
democratically elected representatives shall participate in the formation of state authority. Political parties shall submit public reports on
their financial sources to the Oliy Majlis or their plenipotentiary body in a prescribed manner.
Article 61. Religious organizations and associations shall be separated from the state and equal before law. The state shall not interfere
with the activity of religious associations.
Article 62. Public associations may be dissolved or banned, or subject to restricted activity solely by the sentence of a court.
Chapter 14. Family
Article 63. The family is the primary unit of society and shall have the right to state and societal protection.
Marriage shall be based on the willing consent and equality of both parties.
Article 64. Parents shall be obliged to support and care for their children until the latter are of age.
The state and society shall support, care for and educate orphaned children, as well as children deprived of parental guardianship, and
encourage charity in their favor.
Article 65. All children shall be equal before the law regardless of their origin and the civic status of their parents.
Motherhood and childhood shall be protected by the state.
Article 66. Able-bodied children who are of age shall be obliged to care for their parents.
Chapter 15. Mass Media
Article 67. The mass media shall be free and act in accordance with the law. It shall bear responsibility for trustworthiness of information
in a prescribed manner. Censorship is impermissible.
Uzbekistan has a long history owing to its placement on the silk road. For about 2,000 years
it was known as Transoxiana until the 8th Century C.E. when it was conquered by Arab
Muslims. It was later absorbed into the Persian Empire and overrun by Genghis Khan and
the Mongol Horde. Timur, also known as Tamerlane, established his kingdom there while
liberating Europe from the Ottoman Empire. In 1865, Russian took control of Uzbekistan
when it occupied Tashkent i 1876, and it remained under domination of the Soviet Union at
the toppling of the empire. On 31 August 1991 Uzbekistan reluctantly declared its
independence from the Soviet Union. On 8 December 1992, The Constitution of the Republic
of Uzbekistan was adopted in accordance with standards set forth by the 1948 Universal
Declaration of Human Rights as is required for admission consideration in the United
Nations. The following are those articles specifically pertaining to human rights. For a full
English translation of Uzbekistan's constitution, click here.
it was known as Transoxiana until the 8th Century C.E. when it was conquered by Arab
Muslims. It was later absorbed into the Persian Empire and overrun by Genghis Khan and
the Mongol Horde. Timur, also known as Tamerlane, established his kingdom there while
liberating Europe from the Ottoman Empire. In 1865, Russian took control of Uzbekistan
when it occupied Tashkent i 1876, and it remained under domination of the Soviet Union at
the toppling of the empire. On 31 August 1991 Uzbekistan reluctantly declared its
independence from the Soviet Union. On 8 December 1992, The Constitution of the Republic
of Uzbekistan was adopted in accordance with standards set forth by the 1948 Universal
Declaration of Human Rights as is required for admission consideration in the United
Nations. The following are those articles specifically pertaining to human rights. For a full
English translation of Uzbekistan's constitution, click here.