Reforming Law Enforcement in Uzbekistan: Prioritizing the Protection of Human Interests

To enhance the effectiveness of judicial, law enforcement, and regulatory entities in upholding the rule of law and reinforcing legal governance within society, a Comprehensive Measures Program focusing on priority areas of the development of the judicial and legal system was sanctioned in 2016. The tenets of this program directly pertain to law enforcement agencies.

In carrying out their mandate to safeguard the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as the legitimate interests of society and the state, law enforcement agencies are compelled to employ measures that may limit the personal integrity of individuals. These measures are designed to combat offenses, ensuring conditions conducive to uncovering the truth in cases of wrongdoing, preventing the commission of further socially dangerous acts, and facilitating the rehabilitation of offenders. These measures, such as administrative and criminal procedural detention, arrest, transfer, preventive detention, and compelled placement for forensic medical examination in a psychiatric institution, are employed as necessary tools by law enforcement agencies, provided they align with legal provisions and do not violate constitutional guarantees of personal integrity.

The utilization of these measures hinges on the adherence of law enforcement personnel to the stipulations outlined in laws and departmental regulations, which delineate the permissible and essential limitations on the rights of individuals who have committed offenses. In this context, preserving an individual's right to personal integrity is contingent upon the observance of legal and regulatory frameworks by law enforcement personnel, who bear the responsibility to enforce punishment and uphold the rule of law when implementing legal restrictive measures. Individuals who have committed offenses possess the corresponding right to demand from law enforcement agencies the lawful application of such measures by established procedures...