14 individuals were punished for promoting polygamy in Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan, 14 individuals have faced penalties for promoting polygamy over the past year, according to a statement by Aziz Obidov, spokesperson for the Supreme Court.

The penalties are a result of recent amendments to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan, effective October 31, 2023, which introduced administrative responsibility for promoting cohabitation with two or more wives under Article 47-8 and for promoting gender-based discrimination under Article 189-2.

In the past year, 14 people were prosecuted under Article 47-8, with 13 receiving administrative fines and one sentenced to administrative imprisonment.

Additionally, under Article 189-2, seven individuals were also penalized, all receiving administrative fines.

Under Article 126 of the Criminal Code, polygamy is punishable by fines ranging from fifty to one hundred times the calculation amount, correctional labor for up to three years, or imprisonment for three years. Furthermore, Article 16 of the Family Code prohibits individuals who are already married from entering into another marriage.

The law also stipulates that promoting the concept of cohabitation with multiple wives, as well as disseminating related ideas, can result in fines ranging from 15 to 30 times the basic health insurance amount (approximately 4.95 million to 9.9 million soums) or up to 15 days of administrative detention.

This crackdown follows previous incidents, including cases where bloggers were held accountable for promoting gender roles through videos claiming that "a woman must obey her husband in any situation." In the first half of 2023, four citizens were convicted of polygamy, while between 2018 and 2022, a total of 34 individuals were convicted under the same article and faced appropriate penalties.