On March 15th, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan signed amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Responsibility, reducing penalties for the illegal import, sale, acquisition, storage, or use of drones and their components. The changes will come into effect in three months, starting from June 17th.
A complete ban on the import and use of drones was introduced in Uzbekistan in 2015. In 2019, criminal liability was established for this offense (excluding transit with mandatory declaration) - imprisonment for up to 3 years.
The severity of the punishment and the existence of the ban have been constantly criticized by the public. Foreign tourists have been repeatedly held accountable for not being aware of the drone ban in Uzbekistan.
In the preamble to the law signed by the president and published on Lex.uz, it is recognized that the analysis of judicial practice showed the disproportionality of the established measures of criminal liability for committing illegal import, sale, acquisition, storage, or use of drones in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the nature and degree of public danger of these acts. This was the reason for the increase in justified objections from citizens, including tourists.
The new law introduces a fine of 10 to 20 times the base calculation amount (from 3.4 million to 6.8 million sums) for those who commit this offense for the first time. Voluntary surrender of drones and components entitles to exemption from the fine.
In addition to imprisonment, the Criminal Code introduces alternative forms of punishment such as increased fines, corrective labor, and restriction of freedom. They are applied for committing an offense after the first fine.
The document notes that the law will ensure more reliable protection of the rights and legitimate interests of citizens, as well as strengthen the country's image on the international stage.
