On July 7, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed bill into law lifting a number of restrictions on the use of the Uzbek flag. The relevant draft bill was published for discussion in early June after the proposal of the head of state. On June 20, the bill was passed by the Legislative Chamber, and on June 23 it was approved by the Senate.

Previously, the Uzbek flag was allowed to be used only on the buildings of state bodies and diplomatic missions, in the offices of the president and other officials, at military units, at border checkpoints, at sports arenas and during holidays and celebrations, as well as on the main streets during holidays.

Due to the fact that the use of the flag by individuals and legal entities was not regulated in detail in the legislation, the above actions were considered a violation of the law and entailed a fine of 990,000 to 2.3 million soums as per the Article 203-1 of the Code of Administrative Liability.

According to the amendments to the law, now the state flag, while ensuring respect for it, is allowed to be used at national holidays, sports competitions, sports and mass events, other mass events, family holidays, memorable dates, funerals of public and state figures, military personnel and other cases, including without the use of a pole (flagpole).

In addition, the use of the flag is now allowed in public places, on buildings and other facilities, at homes and workplaces, as well as in the territories adjacent to them and in car interiors - also keeping respect for it.

The amendments also provide for the use of the flag symbol “as a sign of belonging to Uzbekistan” by individuals and legal entities representing Uzbekistan at official international events.

Designations representing the image of the flag can be used on clothes and insignia of persons in the military or other public service, as well as in the sportswear for international sports competitions and championships of Uzbekistan.

The image of the flag cannot be used for commercial purposes to promote manufactured or sold goods and services, with the exception of applying flag images to outerwear for decorative purposes or indicating belonging to Uzbekistan while ensuring respect for the state symbol.

The law defines the circumstances under which it is unacceptable to disrespect the state flag, and it is forbidden to:

• use the flag and signs with its image in a torn, dirty, holey, faded and other inappropriate form;
• use the flag as a cover for anything;
• lay or apply the image of the flag on tables, armchairs, chairs and use it as a covering, as well as to lay or apply its image in other places where they sit down or under their feet;
• use the flag as clothing, a handkerchief or bed linen, as well as to store and carry things;
• print signs with the image of the flag on shoes, handkerchiefs, bed linen, underwear, towels, boxes (packaging), disposable items;
• use of the flag and the image of the flag in violation of the rules of ethics and the rules of conduct in society or in any other way that is considered as desecration.

The symbols of non-governmental non-profit organizations, as before, cannot be similar to the flag.