Permanent Mission of Uzbekistan in Geneva

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01/12/2025

The Constitution — The bedrock of Uzbekistan’s trust, stability, and future

8 December marks Constitution Day in the Republic of Uzbekistan - a date that holds a distinct place in the nation’s modern history. Adopted in 1992, the Constitution laid the foundational pillars of the country’s independence, the rule of law, and its democratic evolution. It set the trajectory for the emergence of a young sovereign state, defined the core principles of its governance, and charted the path toward building an open, peaceful, and humanistic society.
The Constitution emerged as the decisive document that established the normative framework for shaping a sovereign Uzbekistan. It enshrined the political, economic, and social model of the future state — a model rooted in democratic principles, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and the freedoms of the individual.
The adoption of the Constitution marked a pivotal step in the institutionalization of Uzbekistan’s independence, laying a solid legal foundation for all subsequent political and socio-economic reforms.
On 8 December 1992, the Constitution was formally adopted during a session of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan, thereby acquiring the status of the Fundamental Law of the newly independent state.
The dynamic evolution of society, the growing expectations of citizens, and the need to introduce modern democratic standards created the prerequisites for a profound renewal of the Constitution. The new stage of national development — widely referred to as the period of shaping the New Uzbekistan — called for a substantial expansion of political, social, and legal guarantees. It was within this context that a far-reaching constitutional reform was carried out in 2023, marking a genuine milestone in the country’s history.
The drafting of the new edition of the Constitution also unfolded through an extensive process of public consultation. More than 222,000 proposals were submitted by citizens — an unprecedented level of civic engagement. Specially established commissions and expert groups thoroughly reviewed these public initiatives, incorporating the most relevant and widely supported ideas into the updated text. This process became clear evidence that Uzbekistan’s Constitution is genuinely a people’s Constitution — a document shaped through the direct participation of society itself.
The referendum held on 30 April 2023, in which millions of citizens took part, served as the ultimate confirmation of the people’s collective choice and will. A large-scale international observation mission—comprising representatives of major international organizations as well as national and foreign civil society institutions—ensured a high degree of transparency and legitimacy throughout the process. Following the vote, the new edition of the Constitution was endorsed by an overwhelming majority of participants and entered into force on 1 May 2023.
The updated Constitution represents a major stride toward the further democratization of the country. It enshrined fundamentally new approaches to governance and human rights, expanded social protections, and strengthened mechanisms for safeguarding individual freedoms. The number of articles increased from 128 to 155, the number of chapters from 26 to 27, and the total number of provisions from 275 to 434. In effect, more than 65 percent of the Constitution was renewed, underscoring the depth and scope of the reforms undertaken.
One of the most significant achievements of the reform was the formal recognition of Uzbekistan as a social state. The Constitution now reflects a new generation of social commitments: ensuring access to affordable housing, guaranteeing a minimum wage that provides a decent standard of living, strengthening social support for the most vulnerable groups of the population, and improving the quality of medical care. These provisions embody a modern understanding of justice, equal opportunities, and human dignity.
The updated Constitution significantly strengthens guarantees for human rights and freedoms. It introduces provisions prohibiting forced labor, abolishing the death penalty, protecting citizens from arbitrary detention, and limiting pre-trial detention without a court decision to no more than 48 hours. Mechanisms ensuring judicial independence have been reinforced, and requirements for the accountability of state bodies and officials have been increased. These reforms are crucial for reinforcing the rule of law and safeguarding the legal protections of citizens.
The 2023 Constitution also reflects significant developments in the sphere of international relations. For the first time, the constitutional framework established new institutional foundations for Uzbekistan’s foreign policy, aligning with the course of the New Uzbekistan toward openness to the world, the strengthening of good-neighborly relations, and active participation in global processes. It affirms that international treaties take precedence over domestic legislation, enhancing Uzbekistan’s integration into the global legal space and ensuring that national laws comply with international standards. The Constitution also guarantees a ban on the extradition of Uzbek citizens, further reinforcing the protection of their rights abroad.
The foreign policy principles enshrined in the new edition also reflect the country’s commitment to strengthening regional stability, developing mutually beneficial relations with partners, expanding economic diplomacy, and actively engaging in addressing global challenges. These provisions demonstrate that the foreign policy of the New Uzbekistan now rests on a solid institutional foundation, contributing to the enhancement of the country’s international standing.
Today, Uzbekistan is confidently advancing along the path of modernization, improving governance, strengthening rights and freedoms, and creating conditions for human development and economic growth. The updated Constitution underpins this trajectory, serving as a key reference point for both the state and society. Each citizen, guided by the Fundamental Law, reinforces their confidence in the future, in justice, and in the sustainable development of their homeland.

THE EDUCATIONAL POLICY OF NEW UZBEKISTAN IS OPENING NEW HORIZONS IN THE REGION We are the luckiest children of our peopl...
01/12/2025

THE EDUCATIONAL POLICY OF NEW UZBEKISTAN IS OPENING NEW HORIZONS IN THE REGION

We are the luckiest children of our people. We are fortunate to see the days dreamed of by our Jadid ancestors and to build the future they desired. During the events of the seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, I was once again convinced of this.

In recent years, Central Asia has acquired a new image on the world political map. Today, it is recognized that the countries of the region are not competitors, but reliable partners moving together on the path of development and cooperation. Consequently, other regions and powerful states are seeking to engage with us, envisioning a future in harmony with the spirit of Central Asia. This is not without reason. Because in the international arena, various conflicts and the pursuit of solely material interests have intensified. In such a situation, thanks to the political will and wise decisions of our President, a completely new policy, inherent to our people—one of openness and magnanimity—has gained priority in our region. All Central Asians rejoice in this. Why? Because our peoples have lived as neighbors, in-laws, sharing joys and sorrows as one nation.

In awakening the spirit of Central Asia, our President first took the path of bringing our peoples closer together. We wisely used the power of literature and art to elevate relations to a new stage. In particular, various events and festivals were organized among cultural representatives of our countries. As part of state visits, performances by art and culture representatives and grand concerts have become commonplace.

Our President has turned the gifting of books to his colleagues into a tradition. At the time, we understood this only within the framework of cultural ties. Time itself shows that the path chosen by our President is the way to reach the hearts of the people!

After all, the peoples of Central Asia consider Khazrat Navoi their ancestor. Likewise, we also love Jami, Fuzuli, Makhtumkuli, and Abai just as we do Bobur or Alisher Navoi. We value the epic of Manas as if it were our own, and we read the works of Aitmatov more than anyone else. This alone indicates that our peoples have lived for centuries as close as flesh and nail. The leader of our state elevated such important aspects to the level of state policy. This opened a path to the hearts of our peoples. As a result, the seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia was rich in historic events. Importantly, following its conclusion, very important decisions for the future of the region were adopted.

In particular, a concept for regional security and stability in Central Asia was adopted. In today's global world, security is of paramount importance. In such a situation, one cannot develop in isolation. Where there is peace, there is also stability. That is why the new Central Asia is seen on the international stage as a peaceful and stable zone. Our region has not only natural resources and economic potential but also a sufficient level of human capital. At a time when mutual conflicts and economic blockades are intensifying in various parts of the world, it is also true that Central Asia's ability to maintain stability is seen as a lifeboat for others.

Maintaining this stability and achieving economic growth by utilizing its opportunities is not easy. Anyone who closely observes the working regime of our President understands this correctly. Because the leader of our state works day and night to strengthen international ties. From the world podium, he is advancing not only national but also universal human interests. He calls for resolving any conflict and dispute through peaceful, diplomatic means.

It is these calls, aspirations, and initiatives that have awakened the spirit of Central Asia today. The entire region has unanimously decided to safeguard security and stability together. As our President put it, we have deeply understood that our strength is in unity, and our path to success is in friendship and cooperation.

In recent years, relations in the "Central Asia Plus" format have expanded. Our region is demonstrating a unified position on the international stage. At the same time, it is actively integrating into the world economy. Investment attractiveness is growing, export opportunities to third markets are expanding, and transit potential is increasing. For example, last year, the mutual trade volume between our countries reached 10.7 billion US dollars. The total volume of investments attracted to our region increased by 17 percent.

Further enhancing economic relations and correctly assessing the rapidly changing, unpredictable geopolitical processes is an urgent task. In this sense, it is gratifying that at the Consultative Meeting, a catalog of threats to Central Asian security and measures to prevent them for 2026-2028 were outlined.

The Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia was established on the initiative of our President. The leader of our state chaired its seventh meeting. During this period, our cooperation has been highly effective. To further enhance the potential of cooperation, over 20 major events were held. A forum for inter-regional cooperation at the level of deputy prime ministers was launched. Likewise, meetings of ministers were held for the first time. In particular, ministers of geology, industry, agriculture, ecology, and culture held meetings.

Due to such aspects, we are right to say that a new era of the Consultative Meeting has begun. Just one example: now, member states will engage in separate, individual cooperation in each sector within the Consultative Meeting. We were convinced of this once again at the ministerial meetings.

Within the framework of the international congress on "Central Asia: Common Spiritual and Educational Heritage – Common Future" at the Islamic Civilization Center, we held our first meeting with the culture ministers of Central Asia and Azerbaijan. Various issues of multilateral cooperation were discussed. We discussed issues of cooperation in various fields of culture and art. We exchanged views on the current state of regional cultural cooperation and future plans.

Our peoples have one thing in common. That is, people listen more to elders, to individuals respected by the community. They follow them. Precisely this aspect is considered our unique strength, unlike other regions. Therefore, for the future, vital issues were raised about expanding cultural exchange among cultural figures. As a result, we reached agreements on expanding regional cultural cooperation.

Mutual respect and magnanimity among peoples do not appear by themselves. It must be admitted that the human psyche has a strong tendency towards negative information. In today's global world, we see enough examples of this. Our President, deeply understanding this very aspect and analyzing it thoroughly, created the opportunity for cultural workers to strengthen such ties. I believe that cultural workers, and intellectuals in general, are responsible for further developing peace and mutual understanding in the region. It is precisely we who must prepare and present to our peoples the positive content that will lead to this. In this sense, we united around a common idea to hold joint events and festivals in the fields of art, literature, cinema, theater, and music. Such events remind us of ourselves once again. They sing the universal ideas, friendship, and magnanimity promoted by Navoi, Jami, Fuzuli and Makhtumkuli, Abai and Aitmatov, which are the cause for awakening the spirit of Central Asia today.

The gratifying aspect is that we will also expand joint projects for the study, restoration, and digitization of cultural heritage. Furthermore, we will develop exchange programs among young creators. We reached an agreement on organizing seminars, conferences, and summer schools. We also exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in training and advanced training in the field of culture and art. Importantly, positive opinions were expressed on developing a "Central Asian Cultural Brand."

Observing this process, the meetings and agreements at the level of state leaders, I felt that today Central Asia has truly become a single region, a unified force. Our peoples have gone through many trials to reach this day. We can see this in the example of our Jadid ancestors. Thankfully, the river that flows, flows on. Our ancestors always called the people of the world to enlightenment, friendship, and kindness. Today, we, as a single region, continue this eternal tradition. It is gratifying that the leader of our state is wisely using these values of ours not only for our country but also for the benefit of the whole world. This was clearly evident in the initiatives put forward by our President at the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia.

In particular, an initiative was put forward to establish an Council of Elders, comprising respected public figures with life experience and authority, based on the values and traditions of people's diplomacy. At the same time, it was emphasized that further improving cooperation mechanisms and the contractual-legal basis is of fundamental importance. Especially, the initiative to transform the Consultative Meeting into the strategic format of a "Central Asian Community" became the words in all our hearts.

Because now Central Asia is not just a region, but is strengthening its place on the world political map as a single voice, a united force. That is why our President emphasized in his speech at the seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia: "I am fully confident that today we are on the threshold of a period of historical awakening of our region as the New Central Asia."

Precisely for this reason, developed countries are eager to cooperate with us. This is a great opportunity for the countries of the region. Using it wisely depends on our ability to protect our unity, friendship, and interests in a coordinated manner. In New Uzbekistan, it is recognized as a people-oriented policy precisely because such important aspects are always the focus of attention. The scale of countries wishing to cooperate with us confirms how sincere these recognitions are. There are two important reasons for the strong aspiration of developed countries towards New Uzbekistan. First, New Uzbekistan has become known as a state promoting the ideas of peace and humanity.

Here, a vital truth must be stated. No matter how a person may appear in a hostile guise, they still strive to live for peace and friendship. Countries are the same. They may engage in various conflicts for their own interests. But deep down, they desire peace and prosperity. The foreign policy position of New Uzbekistan offers guarantees of this peace and friendship.

The second important point is that thanks to the people-centered foreign policy, Central Asia has achieved unity. Now it is not seen as a field for labor or natural resources. Rather, it is seen as a new force with broad economic power in the international arena. During the Consultative Meeting, the leaders of the countries were at the Islamic Civilization Center. Our President emphasized that this center is a unique platform for creating scientific knowledge and ideas, conducting research, and popularizing our common cultural-historical heritage. Therefore, it is natural for the center to become a haven for the scientific and spiritual elevation of youth.

We certainly have grounds for saying this with full confidence. At the Consultative Meeting, our President proposed to regularly organize the first International Congress dedicated to spiritual heritage and enlightenment ideas. According to it, the congress will be held annually in the country chairing the Consultative Meeting.

All this shows that the countries of Central Asia are uniting not only because of economic or security issues, but because they are familiar with enlightenment. We know well that relationships built solely on material interests are fragile. In our region, however, live peoples with a single history, a common past. This is the reason for a unity that surpasses any material interests. That is why, at the meetings of state leaders, issues of culture and enlightenment always find a place on the agenda. This evokes boundless pride and honor in our hearts. At the same time, it also imposes the responsibility of being a generation worthy of such honorable days. For, at a time when the educational policy of New Uzbekistan is opening new horizons in Central Asia, being worthy of it is the duty and debt of every child of this land

New Uzbekistan: From Constitutional Reformsto Constitutional Stability2025: A Year of MilestonesThe year 2025 is marked ...
01/12/2025

New Uzbekistan: From Constitutional Reforms
to Constitutional Stability

2025: A Year of Milestones
The year 2025 is marked by an exceptional concentration of commemorative and landmark anniversaries. It is particularly noteworthy that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act of the CSCE. At the anniversary 80th session of the General Assembly, the international community once again reaffirmed the need to transform the UN’s work identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency, revising the procedure for implementing mandates, and exploring potential structural changes and program restructuring.
In 2025, the global community also celebrates the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the first legally binding human rights treaty, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as well as the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which laid the foundation for the gender dimension of modern social and political life.
Human rights are an indicator of the progress of modern civilization. Unfortunately, ongoing global socio-economic crises, trade conflicts, climate change, and threats to food security continue to exert a profound impact on the state of human rights and impede progress toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Today, New Uzbekistan is confidently advancing along the path of irreversible democratic reforms, pursuing a pragmatic foreign policy, conducting an open and active dialogue with the international community, and implementing large-scale reforms aimed at strengthening guarantees for the protection of human rights and freedoms.

The 21st Century: The Constitutional Map of the World
We live in a world of constitutions shaped by rapidly changing dynamics and characterized by significant diversity. Today, constitutions help form national identity, ease social tensions, adapt human life to interaction with machines and artificial intelligence, and respond to natural and technogenic crises.
The first quarter of the twenty-first century has witnessed an unprecedented wave of constitutional reforms and constitutional renewal worldwide. The empirical data are telling: approximately 60 new constitutions have been adopted across the globe during this period, parliaments have considered amendments to constitutions more than 750 times. Practically no constitution in the world has remained unchanged. In essence, contemporary constitutions seek to reflect the combined imperatives of globalization and national development.
Indeed, the possibility of introducing amendments is a fundamental feature of all written constitutions. One key characteristic of constitutional reform is the strengthening of national constitutional identity by enshrining fundamental values, above all, state sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the country, as well as the protection of family and childhood.
This intense global constitutional dynamism inevitably requires turning to the foundations of constitutional transformation, which, in turn, calls for a theoretical understanding of constitutionalism, modern constitutional legal thinking.
Understanding the Constitution presupposes not only theoretical interpretation but also its real implementation: the “Constitution in action.” The primary goal is to build a constitutional state.
The development of a constitution has always reflected the main stages of the development of society and the state itself.
Encompassing virtually all aspects of national and social development, the Constitution determines the most generalized form of normative regulation. More often than other laws, including codes, the Constitution addresses society as a whole, its social strata, and the individual citizen.
A study of global constitutional transformations demonstrates a defining trend: the enduring need to adapt a country’s Basic Law to the demands of modernity and to ensure its capacity to respond to emerging global and challenges.

The 21st Century: Trends in Global Constitutional Development
In addressing the challenges of an increasingly globalized world across various spheres of constitutional regulation, one inevitably encounters the broader question of legal understanding, particularly constitutional interpretation. The profound transformations occurring within the socio-economic structures and political life of individual states are, in one way or another, reflected in the evolution of constitutional law.
The principal trends of contemporary global constitutional development may be summarized as follows:
• comprehensiveness of constitutional reforms, encompassing political, economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian domains, as well as the interconnections and mutual conditionality between constitutional reforms and broader modernization processes;
• expansion of the scope of constitutional regulation, including reforms of governance mechanisms and transitions in systems of government;
• development of constitutional space, strengthening legal sovereignty, and shaping the constitutional identity of the state;
• broadening of the catalogue of constitutional rights and freedoms, and enhancement of judicial guarantees for the protection of human rights;
• expansion of the powers of constitutional justice, including the introduction of mechanisms for direct individual access to constitutional courts;
• globalization of constitutional lawmaking, manifested in the incorporation of universally recognized principles and norms of international law into national constitutions;
• environmentalization of constitutional development, coupled with the constitutionalization of the right to accessible, high-quality medical care;
• recognition and protection of digital rights, institutionalization of the information society, and legal regulation of cybersecurity;
• internationalization of constitutional development and the increasing influence of international legal norms.
In the contemporary world, the Constitution stands as one of the primary instruments for ensuring political and social stability and for supporting the sustainable development of civil society.
Modern constitutions extend far beyond the mere establishment and regulation of relations among branches of government or the definition of procedural frameworks. They have undergone a process of humanization, assigning central importance to the individual and to various social groups by incorporating bills of rights and fundamental freedoms as core elements of constitutional design. The success of constitutional reforms depends, to a significant extent, on the level of support they receive from diverse sectors of society.

Distinctive Features of the Constitution of New Uzbekistan
The United Nations emphasizes that “constitution-making is a sovereign national process, and for it to succeed, it must be led and carried out by the country itself. There is no single ‘template’ for constitutional models or processes, and national ownership must include the participation of state institutions, political parties, civil society, and the broader public.”
The first distinctive feature of the most recent constitutional reforms in Uzbekistan is precisely the broad participation of the population. The amendments were drafted following an open and unrestricted public discussion, which ensured wide civic engagement and substantive debate.
The second feature concerns the constitutional and legal status of human rights institutions. In accordance with the Paris Principles and the recommendations of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Uzbekistan has established national human rights institutions. It has become the fourth country in the world after Mexico, Morocco, and Egypt to enshrine the constitutional status of such institutions.
The third feature is the strengthening of guarantees for the effective protection of human rights and freedoms. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action called upon states to adopt national human rights action plans. To date, more than 150 national plans or strategies have been adopted in 80 countries.
Since 2020, Uzbekistan has been implementing its National Human Rights Strategy, which includes the introduction of a constitutional complaint mechanism and expanding access to the Constitutional Court. A new Strategy to 2030 is currently under development, with priority given to safeguarding fundamental rights in accordance with the new Constitution.
The fourth feature concerns the formation of a culture of constitutional awareness among citizens. Within the framework of the UN World Programme for Human Rights Education, Uzbekistan is undertaking measures to strengthen human rights education across its educational institutions.
It is no coincidence that at the Sixth Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice, held in Madrid in October 2025, participants called for the development of a culture of constitutionalism one in which judicial decisions are implemented in good faith and judicial critique remains constructive. Transparency, accountability, and sustained dialogue with social institutions and civil society serve to strengthen, rather than weaken, the independence of the judiciary.

Thirty Years of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It is worth recalling that as early as 1990, thirty-five years ago, the first law on constitutional oversight was adopted in Uzbekistan, establishing the Committee for Constitutional Supervision.
Over the decades of its existence, the Constitutional Court has developed a substantive body of constitutional jurisprudence. At the same time, this jurisprudence continues to evolve, a clear indication that the legal system remains dynamic, progressing in tandem with broader socio-political processes and institutions.
In the context of the Court’s thirtieth anniversary, particular attention should be paid to the recent amendments to the Constitutional Law “On the Constitutional Court”, the foundations of which were laid by the 2023 constitutional reform. Crucially, the amendments affecting the status of the Constitutional Court and its procedural framework are grounded both in longstanding national practice and in positive international experience.
One major innovation is the introduction of the principle of exhaustion of domestic remedies as a prerequisite for admissibility. Under this principle, applicants must first exhaust all available judicial remedies within the national legal system before a complaint may be accepted for consideration. Although such a rule may initially appear ambiguous or even restrictive with respect to access to constitutional justice, in practice it is aimed at enhancing the quality and functionality of the constitutional review mechanism. It ensures coherent operation of the entire judiciary and prevents the duplication of judicial functions.
A notable development in 2024 was the request submitted by the National Human Rights Centre to the Constitutional Court seeking interpretation of Article 86 of the Constitutional Law “On the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan.” The Court clarified that the “day of completion of judicial proceedings” refers to the day on which the final judicial document is issued following the adjudication of a case.

Another significant enhancement of the Court’s legal status concerns the expansion of its powers. Most prominently, the Court is now authorized to issue opinions on the constitutionality of questions submitted to a national referendum. This competence was successfully tested during the 2023 constitutional reform.
Based on thirty years of experience of the Constitutional Court, it is entirely fair to conclude that the legal formulas enshrined in the Constitution not only have profound legal significance, but also remain in continuous development.
By applying and interpreting the Constitution, the Constitutional Court reveals not only the ‘letter’ but also the ‘spirit’ of its various provisions at each new stage of development, thereby adapting it to changing relations in society.
The thirtieth anniversary provides an important juncture at which to assess the interim results of the development of constitutional justice in New Uzbekistan. The Constitutional Court has demonstrated steadfast commitment to the fundamental legal principles embedded in the Constitution, helping to create and strengthen the legal foundations for the country’s ongoing development.

A.Kh. Saidov
Director of the National Center
of the Republic of Uzbekistan
for Human Rights, Academician

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