Uzbekistan expands list of persons who cannot adopt children

As Norma reports, the document made amendments and additions to the Family Code and the law “On guardianship”. In particular, the list of persons who cannot be adoptive parents has been expanded.

According to the law, adoptive parents cannot be persons: 

a)  previously convicted of crimes:

•  against life, health, as well as dangerous to life or health;
•  against sexual freedom, family, youth and morality, freedom, honor and dignity of the individual (except for slander, insult);
•  against constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens (with the exception of violation of the legislation on communications of individuals and legal entities, violation of copyright or inventive rights);
•  against the peace and security of mankind, against the Republic of Uzbekistan;
•  related to the theft of someone else's property, the acquisition or sale of property obtained by criminal means, commercial bribery or bribery of an employee of a non-governmental commercial or other NGO;
•  against the order of administration, as well as justice, for the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
•  against public safety, with the exception of:
- illegal import, sale, purchase, storage or use of unmanned aerial vehicles, violation of the order of their storage and use;
- dissemination of false information about the spread of quarantine and other infections dangerous to humans;
- violations of safety rules in the implementation of research activities, labor protection, sanitary legislation or rules for combating epidemics;
- violation of safety rules for mining, construction or explosive works, fire safety rules;
•  constituting illegal traffic in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances;
•  against public order and military malfeasance;

b)  those previously convicted of committing grave and especially grave crimes not related to the crimes specified in paragraph a);

c)  in respect of which the criminal cases for the commission of the crimes specified in paragraphs “a” and “b” were terminated without resolving the issue of guilt;

d)  suffering from diseases that prevent adoption, the list of which is approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

It was also determined that the difference in age between adoptive parents and adopted children of at least 15 years does not apply to cases of adoption by close relatives of the adopted child.