15-year-old girl married off in Surkhandarya

Reports have spread on social networks that a 15-year-old girl was married off in Surkhandarya region. The National Agency for Social Protection has provided official information on the case.

According to the agency, the incident involved citizen A.R., a resident of Ozod mahalla in the Denov district.

In July 2025, the mahalla council and social workers conducted a joint investigation into the girl’s marriage and warned the family that marrying off a minor is against the law.

Despite this, the marriage ceremony was held on August 10, 2025. Following the incident, the local preventive inspector imposed an administrative fine on those found guilty.

It was reported that A.R. is currently studying at a vocational school in Denov district. Her rights and educational process are under the constant supervision of the authorities.

For reference, Article 15 of the Family Code sets the marriageable age at 18 for both men and women. Marriages concluded below this age are considered invalid. Parents or intermediaries who facilitate such marriages may face heavy fines, and in cases of repetition or serious consequences, criminal liability.

It is worth noting that the rate of child marriage, including early and forced marriages in Uzbekistan over the past ten years, amounted to 3.4 percent.