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Child Protection Laws

Uzbekistan Introduces Life Imprisonment for Rape of Children Under 14

Uzbekistan has introduced penalties of 15 to 25 years in prison or life imprisonment for rape and certain other serious sexual offenses against children under 14. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a law eliminating the statute of limitations for prosecuting these crimes. The amendments affect five codes and six laws and expand legal protections for children against physical and psychological violence, including abuse by relatives and educational staff. For intentional crimes resulting in a child's death, suspended sentences and early release on parole will be prohibited. “Violence against a young child can never be tolerated, and punishment must be inevitable and uncompromising,” Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration, wrote on her Telegram channel. Children who have experienced or witnessed violence will be entitled to free state-funded legal assistance from the moment they become involved in legal proceedings. If a parent, adoptive parent, guardian, or another relative is suspected of the crime, a representative of the guardianship authorities must also protect the child's interests during the investigation and trial. In schools and other educational institutions, staff responsible for teaching or caring for children can be dismissed if held legally responsible for violence against a child. The legislation was approved following a high-profile case in the Namangan region, where reports emerged of alleged sexual violence against a five-year-old girl at a state-run kindergarten in the Uchqurgan district. The case sparked public outrage and debate over appropriate punishment for those responsible. Mirziyoyeva previously stated that responsibility should extend to both the direct perpetrators and officials whose negligence may have allowed the alleged assault to take place. According to the Oliy Majlis, Uzbekistan's parliament, 445 criminal cases involving the rape of children under 14 were opened in the country between 2022 and 2025. The amendments passed the lower house of parliament on September 30, following a first reading on September 29, and were approved by the Senate on October 2.

Drug Smuggling

Russian Rapper Navai Detained at Kazakhstan Border on Suspicion of Drug Smuggling

Russian rapper Navai Bakirov, known professionally as Navai, was detained on October 13 while entering Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan. A Kazakh court has since ordered him held in custody as police investigate suspected drug smuggling and unlawful possession of narcotics. Police in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region said officers and border guards discovered and seized a narcotic substance during a search of his vehicle at the Korday checkpoint. They have not identified the substance or disclosed the quantity seized. Navai had performed in Bishkek the previous day as part of a Central Asian concert tour. His concert scheduled for October 14 in Astana was canceled, with organizers citing technical reasons. Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Service has launched an internal investigation into how the musician passed through its Ak-Zhol checkpoint. The service said it would take action if any violations by border officials were uncovered. Navai is a singer of Azerbaijani descent who rose to prominence as part of the duo HammAli & Navai. The duo’s popular songs include “Pustite Menya na Tantspol” (“Let Me on the Dance Floor”), “Pryatki” (“Hide and Seek”), and “Devochka-Voyna” (“Warrior Girl”).

Victim Compensation

Most Compensation for Uzbekistan’s Dok-1 Max Victims Remains Unpaid

Families affected by Uzbekistan's Dok-1 Max poisoning scandal are still owed most of the 78 billion soums awarded in compensation, more than two years after the court verdict, according to the Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement. The case dates back to late 2022, when children across Uzbekistan fell ill after taking contaminated cold medicines, including Dok-1 Max, manufactured by the Indian pharmaceutical company Marion Biotech. Laboratory tests confirmed that samples of Dok-1 Max and another syrup, Ambronol, contained dangerous levels of diethylene glycol and/or ethylene glycol, toxic substances that can cause severe kidney damage and death. By February 2024, the medicines had been linked to the deaths of 68 children. On February 26, 2024, a court in Tashkent sentenced 23 defendants in connection with the scandal, including pharmaceutical executives and officials responsible for drug testing and regulation. Sardor Kariyev, a former head of Uzbekistan's pharmaceutical development agency and state drug testing center, received an 18-year prison sentence. Singh Raghvendra Pratap, director of Quramax Medical, the company that imported the medicines into Uzbekistan, was sentenced to 20 years. An investigation by the country's Anti-Corruption Agency identified failures in drug registration, certification, and oversight that had created opportunities for corruption. The issue of unpaid compensation has resurfaced following complaints on social media that payments had stopped. In a statement reported on October 7, the bureau said it was continuing efforts to recover money from Kariyev and other convicted defendants. Enforcement officers seized Kariyev's properties in Tashkent. A nonresidential building on Furqat Street was sold at an electronic auction for 793 million soums (about $67,000). Residential properties in the Chilanzar district, valued at a combined 7.1 billion soums (about $601,000), remain up for auction. According to the bureau, proceeds from the property sale, together with money paid by Kariyev's relatives, have enabled the distribution of 16.7 billion soums ($1.41 million) to the claimants. The recovered funds were divided equally among them. That leaves 61.3 billion soums (about $5.19 million) outstanding. The bureau has given no indication of when the families might receive the remaining compensation.

Political Trials

Kyrgyzstan Court Jails Kadyr Atambayev and Temirlan Sultanbekov

A court in Kyrgyzstan has sentenced Kadyr Atambayev, the son of former President Almazbek Atambayev, to four years in prison and opposition Social Democrats leader Temirlan Sultanbekov to seven years over an alleged plot to seize power following last year's parliamentary elections. The defendants denied the allegations, and Sultanbekov described the prosecution as politically motivated shortly before the October 8 verdict. The trial at Bishkek’s Pervomaisky District Court was held behind closed doors despite defense lawyers’ requests for public hearings, preventing independent scrutiny of much of the evidence. Kadyr Atambayev entered politics in 2021, when he was elected to Bishkek's city council as a Social Democrats representative. His father served as Kyrgyzstan's president from 2011 to 2017 but fell into conflict with his successor, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and subsequently faced several criminal prosecutions. Sultanbekov leads the Social Democrats, a party closely associated with the former president's political circle. He is also a vice president of the Socialist International, an international association of socialist and social democratic parties. He was previously convicted in a separate case involving allegations of vote buying during the November 2024 local elections. His new seven-year prison term takes into account the earlier sentence. The latest case began on November 22, 2025, eight days before Kyrgyzstan's early parliamentary elections. Police detained ten people, including Social Democrats members, former lawmakers, and associates of Almazbek Atambayev. Investigators alleged that the group was preparing to organize unrest after the vote. Atambayev and Sultanbekov were among those charged with preparing a forcible seizure of power. Defense lawyers challenged the prosecution's evidence. Lawyer Asel Argymbaeva questioned a recording used in the case, alleging that it was made before investigators obtained judicial authorization for surveillance and that expert examinations found no calls for violence. The court acquitted former lawmaker Kubanychbek Kadyrov, while some other defendants received lesser penalties or were released from custody. Those convicted have the right to appeal. The verdicts come less than four months before Kyrgyzstan's presidential election on January 27, 2027, in which incumbent President Sadyr Japarov intends to seek a second term. Since Japarov came to power in 2020, Kyrgyzstan has adopted a presidential system that concentrates greater authority in the head of state. The presidential election is taking place amid criminal prosecutions of several prominent political figures and restrictions on rallies in central Bishkek.

Espionage

German Spy Scandal Puts Central Asian and Caucasus Espionage Cases in Focus

The arrest of former German intelligence chief August Hanning has drawn attention to Azerbaijan. German journalists reported that he allegedly had contacts with Azerbaijan's intelligence service. Baku rejected the allegations, while German prosecutors have not confirmed any Azerbaijani involvement. In recent years, citizens of Central Asia and the South Caucasus have repeatedly been implicated in espionage and treason cases. The accused and suspects include former intelligence chiefs, military personnel, officials, scientists, and foreign nationals. Some have received lengthy prison sentences, while others remain under investigation. In many cases, information about alleged foreign intelligence connections is limited to media reports. German Scandal and Ties to Baku On October 6, 2026, the German authorities detained 80-year-old August Hanning, who headed the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005. Former BND employee Manfred D. was also taken into custody. Hanning is suspected of attempted treason, obtaining state secrets, and acting on behalf of a foreign intelligence service. Manfred D. is suspected of assisting in the alleged offenses. Both were placed in pretrial detention on October 7. According to federal prosecutors, in the spring of 2010, Hanning reached an agreement with his former subordinate to obtain intelligence documents in exchange for money. By June 2022, Manfred D. had allegedly provided him with approximately 2,000 documents, including classified materials. By then, Hanning was working as a private consultant and, investigators believe, used the information for commercial purposes. According to German media reports, the documents included materials on Iran's nuclear program, Russia's armed forces, and information received from partner intelligence agencies. Investigators also allege that Hanning prepared an analytical memorandum for an officer of a foreign intelligence service. It remains unknown whether the intended recipient received it. Der Spiegel reported alleged contacts between Hanning and a representative of Azerbaijani intelligence. The investigative outlet CORRECTIV examined his longstanding ties to Baku, including his participation in the German-Azerbaijani Forum. German prosecutors have not identified the foreign intelligence service involved in the investigation. Azerbaijan rejected reports of its involvement and warned of damage to relations with Berlin. An Azerbaijani official also claimed that German intelligence representatives had assured Baku that the investigation was unrelated to Azerbaijan, although this has not been publicly confirmed by the German authorities. The classified documents were discovered during a separate investigation. In September 2025, police searched Hanning's premises in connection with the alleged abduction of the children of German businesswoman Christina Block from Denmark. The discovery led to a separate criminal investigation opened in May 2026. Hanning's lawyer acknowledged that his client possessed confidential documents, but rejected allegations he had passed on information to Germany's detriment or received payment for doing so. Kazakhstan’s Espionage and State Secrets Cases In Kazakhstan, one of the best-known treason cases of recent times involved the prosecution of China expert Konstantin Syroyezhkin, who worked for many years at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the president. Syroyezhkin was detained in February 2019 and sentenced to ten years in prison in October. The trial was held behind closed...

Asset Recovery

Kazakhstan Ratifies European Legal Assistance Convention as Asset Recovery Push Expands

Kazakhstan has ratified the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, in a step that could strengthen a long-running effort to obtain evidence and pursue assets held across foreign jurisdictions. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the ratification law on October 6. The 1959 Council of Europe convention requires participating states to assist in criminal cases, including gathering evidence, transmitting records, serving judicial documents, and executing certain search and seizure requests. The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers invited Kazakhstan to join on June 18, 2025. Kazakh prosecutors have said accession would provide a common legal channel with European states where no bilateral agreement exists. Deputy Prosecutor General Galymzhan Koigeldiyev told lawmakers that Kazakhstan had been pursuing accession since 2001. Kazakhstan’s Kurultai approved the ratification law on September 23. Search and seizure requests can be carried out only when the conduct is an offense in both countries and is punishable under Kazakh law. The Supreme Court will handle requests concerning cases already before the courts, while the Prosecutor General’s Office will handle other requests. Under Council of Europe rules for non-member states, Kazakhstan must deposit its instrument of accession with the Council of Europe Secretary General. Accession then takes effect 90 days later. The effort to recover wealth from abroad predates Tokayev’s current campaign by many years. The clearest example is former BTA Bank chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov. After BTA was nationalized in 2009, the bank pursued him through the English courts in a sprawling series of asset recovery cases. The UK Supreme Court later recorded default judgments totaling about $4.6 billion amid allegations that Ablyazov concealed assets through a network of companies. In one of the English proceedings, Lord Justice Maurice Kay said: “It is difficult to imagine a party to commercial litigation who has acted with more cynicism, opportunism and deviousness towards court orders than Mr Ablyazov.” Ablyazov has denied the allegations and has long maintained that the cases against him are politically motivated. The litigation has spread across jurisdictions and family networks. BTA later pursued Ablyazov’s son-in-law, Ilyas Khrapunov, alleging he helped dissipate and conceal assets despite worldwide freezing orders. Khrapunov is the son of former Almaty mayor Viktor Khrapunov, who has also faced claims over allegedly misappropriated city property. The Times of Central Asia previously detailed how funds linked to the cases moved through shell companies and foreign property deals. Viktor Khrapunov has also rejected the accusations as politically motivated. Those disputes continued in the United States. In 2024, a New York jury awarded BTA Bank and the city of Almaty more than $32 million in litigation over money and property linked to the wider case. The need to pursue separate cases in Britain, Switzerland, the U.S., and elsewhere highlights a recurring problem: a Kazakh investigation or judgment does not automatically provide access to evidence or assets held overseas. Following the unrest of January 2022, Tokayev made asset recovery a more formal part of state policy. Kazakhstan adopted its asset recovery law in 2023, giving the Prosecutor General’s...