Uzbekistan pardons 523 convicts for Independence Day

On the occasion of the 34th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree pardoning 523 people serving sentences in penal institutions who had sincerely repented and shown a commitment to rehabilitation. The decision was announced by Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.

The act of pardon does not annul the fact of the crimes committed but provides an opportunity for those who have acknowledged their guilt and demonstrated a willingness to reform, the report said.

Of those pardoned:

•  195 were fully released from punishment,
•  147 were conditionally released,
•  87 had their sentences commuted to lighter ones,
•  94 had their prison terms reduced.

The list includes 45 women, 31 individuals over the age of 60, 220 people under 30, one minor, and eight foreign citizens — six from Tajikistan and one from Sierra Leone. Fifteen individuals previously involved in banned organizations were also pardoned.

To implement the decree, the prosecutor’s office and other agencies will ensure that released individuals are returned to their places of residence, while foreign nationals will be deported in line with legal procedures.

All pardoned persons will be placed on preventive and probation registers and receive one-time financial assistance, medical examinations, and necessary treatment. Authorities will also provide help with employment, loans, subsidies, civil documentation, and pension support.