Enhanced Environmental Protection: Internal Affairs and National Guard Officers Empowered to Prosecute Environmental Offenders

Today, on the 1st of June, during the forty-first plenary session of the Senate, the Law "On amendments and additions to certain legal documents of the Republic of Uzbekistan in connection with the improvement of legislation in the fields of ecology and public order preservation" was approved by the senators. This announcement was made by the press service of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis.

The approved law introduces changes and additions that grant necessary powers to the Internal Affairs and National Guard bodies in order to hold accountable those responsible for committing crimes related to ecology and environmental protection.

As per the new law, cases of administrative violations, specified in seven articles related to ecology and environmental protection in the Code of Administrative Responsibility, are now under the jurisdiction of the Internal Affairs and National Guard bodies.  Officials who possess the authority to handle these cases and impose administrative fines have been designated, along with the structures within these bodies authorized to file reports on administrative offenses on behalf of the officials from the Internal Affairs and National Guard.

Additionally, officials from the Internal Affairs and National Guard bodies are now empowered to administratively detain individuals who have committed certain violations in the field of ecology and environmental protection.

Tanzilla Norboyeva, Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, emphasized the strengthening of responsibility for environmental damage.  She stated, "It is crucial to establish specific mechanisms to ensure accountability.  Neglecting timely and strict application of measures against offenders leads to their disregard for the law and undermines the principle of 'the inevitability of responsibility' established in our legislation."