The Senate at its 20th plenary session passed the bill toughing penalties for organized crime and crimes against public order.

The chair of the Senate Committee on Defense and Security Issues Qutbiddin Burkhanov said the number of crimes committed by organized groups has risen markedly in recent years.

In 2023, 958 people in 199 organized groups committed 582 crimes. In 2024, 1,226 people in 382 groups were involved in 2,270 crimes, and in 2025, 1,196 people in 373 groups were involved in 3,003. In the first eight months of 2026, 789 people in 292 organized groups committed 2,515 crimes.

"Although the number of organized groups has fluctuated in some years, the number of crimes they commit has risen sharply," Burkhanov said.

The bill has proposed to add a new provision to the Criminal Code that makes financing the activities of a criminal organization a punishable offense. It also sets separate liability for shielding the organizing of a criminal organization, or concealing crimes it commits, through abuse of power or official position.

A person who took part in financing a criminal organization may be exempted from criminal liability if they promptly notify the authorities, or otherwise actively help prevent serious consequences and the realization of the organization's aims. This applies only if their actions contain no other elements of a crime.

The bill also bars early conditional release (parole) for people who financed a criminal organization or shielded it by abusing their official position.

Criminal liability for group hooliganism from age 14

The bill toughens liability for hooliganism committed by an organized group. People who have reached the age of 14 at the time of the offense will face criminal liability if they commit hooliganism as part of an organized group.

Hooliganism that destroys or damages another person's property and causes very large losses, as well as hooliganism committed by an organized group, will be treated as an aggravating circumstance.

Liability is also being increased for intentionally causing grievous bodily harm in the course of hooliganism, including cases where the harm leads to the victim's death.

According to Burkhanov, 119 people were convicted of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm resulting in death in 2024 and 125 in 2025. In the first eight months of 2026, the figure was 78.

Illegal combat sports events to become a crime

The law establishes criminal liability for illegally organizing or holding combat sports competitions. Taking part in such events will carry administrative liability.

It also clarifies which agencies will conduct preliminary investigations. Prosecutors will handle cases involving the financing of criminal organizations. Interior Ministry investigators will handle certain hooliganism cases and crimes involving the illegal organizing or holding of combat sports events.

Uzbekistan earlier reported more than 12,000 drug-related crimes detected in the first eight months of the year.