Criminal sentencing trends: Uzbekistan’s first quarter legal report

Uzbekistan has sentenced 4,764 individuals to prison during the first quarter of 2025, according to Supreme Court spokesperson Aziz Obidov. Throughout this period, courts reviewed 15,681 criminal cases involving 19,646 individuals. Among them, 108 were acquitted and rehabilitated, while 15,369 were convicted. Of those found guilty, 4,764 received prison sentences, 10,319 were given alternative penalties, and 286 received conditional sentences.

A significant portion of the convicted individuals includes 13,611 men, 1,708 women, and 6,066 youth, with 702 being minors. Additionally, 601 individuals over the age of 60 were sentenced. Some 2,042 individuals were released from court immediately after receiving non-custodial sentences, while 8,181 were conditionally freed ahead of their sentence completion. Another 2,746 had their sentences reduced, and charges against 3,765 people were either dismissed or reclassified.

Most of the cases reviewed by the courts were related to:

• fraud;
• theft;
• drug-related offenses;
• misappropriation;
• traffic violations;
• and acts of hooliganism.

Other common offenses included document forgery and bodily harm. Meanwhile, reconciliation procedures led to 3,429 individuals being exempted from criminal liability.

Appeals courts handled 2,064 cases involving 2,706 individuals, with 92 convictions overturned and 825 sentences modified. In cassation proceedings, 1,523 individuals had their cases reviewed, resulting in 115 overturned convictions and 475 sentence alterations. The Supreme Court’s Criminal Panel reviewed 286 cases, overturning 58 lower court decisions while modifying 87 other sentences.

These judicial activities reflect Uzbekistan’s ongoing efforts to enforce legal accountability while allowing for reviews and sentence adjustments where applicable.