Jurist’s pulpit: Special criminal liability was established for engaging teachers in forced labor.

It is known that creating a legal basis for any changes and updates in society is one of the main criteria of statehood. In order to ensure the direct participation of our people in the state administration, to implement the initiatives aimed at supporting the policy of openness and transparency, this procedure must be reflected in our food laws. In the new Uzbekistan, first of all, human interests are put forward, then the principle of society and the state. On March 27 of this year, Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law, which provides for the strengthening of responsibility for obstructing pedagogic employees from performing their duties. According to the law, administrative and criminal responsibilities are being strengthened for administratively forcing a pedagogue to work in any form. For example, in the general case, forcing a person to do forced labor is punishable by a fine of up to 30 million soums (100 times the BHM), now attracting pedagogues to forced labor can be punished with a fine of up to 45 million soums (150 times). The Criminal Code also established a special criminal responsibility for actions against pedagogues and strengthened the punishment. For administratively forcing a teacher to work in any form, if it is committed after an administrative penalty has been applied for the same act, a fine from 45 million to 60 million soums or Deprivation of certain rights for up to 3 years or correctional work for up to 3 years was imposed. Also, the administrative responsibility of the educational organization for interfering with the professional activity of the pedagogue employee illegally or preventing him from performing his official duties has been increased. Now citizens are fined from 2.1 million to 4.5 million soums, and officials are fined from 3 million to 6 million soums for this act. Previously, only a fine was prescribed for illegal interference in the activity of a pedagogue. Now officials who repeatedly commit this act may be sentenced to administrative imprisonment for up to 15 days. On March 2, senators approved the law “On making additions and amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Responsibility in connection with the increased liability of pedagogues for obstructing the performance of official duties.” It should be noted that the head of the branch of the presidential administration, Saida Mirziyoeva, informed that a draft law on bringing administrative and criminal responsibility to teachers who assign work outside of their duties has been developed and is expected to be adopted soon. This law was the next logical step towards increasing the authority and reputation of pedagogues in the society. We can build a great country only through the development of science and education. Only the learned are capable of great deeds. May all our teachers be blessed with this news. Now you are under the protection of the law.   Senior legal consultant A. Alikulov