Group of deputies of the Legislative Chamber developed draft amendments to the Legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Republic of Uzbekistan Law and submitted them to the lower house of parliament as a legislative initiative, the press service of the chamber said in a statement.
The draft amendments are justified by “the need to set up new measures to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Uzbekistan in the modern conditions of globalization,” the statement added. When developing it, the experience of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Poland, Belarus, China and others was taken into account.
The draft amendments proposed to include the basis and procedure for recognizing foreign citizens and stateless persons as undesirable to stay in Uzbekistan.
Public speeches or actions of the following content may be grounds for recognition as undesirable:
- contrary to the state sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Uzbekistan;
- inciting interstate, social, national, racial and religious hatred;
- humiliating the honor, dignity or history of the people of Uzbekistan.
Persons deemed undesirable to stay in the country are proposed to be banned for a period of five years to:
- enter into Uzbekistan;
- buy real estate;
- purchase state property;
- enter into financial and contractual relations.
Recognition of a person temporarily or permanently residing in Uzbekistan as undesirable may lead to the cancellation of his right to legal residence and stay in the country and his/her deportation.
The draft amendments also lays out the basis and procedure for the deportation of persons deemed undesirable. Thus, having received a notification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that he has been declared undesirable, a person will have to voluntarily leave Uzbekistan within 10 days. If this condition is not met, the person is deported, that is, forcibly expelled from the country.
“The proposed amendments are aimed at strengthening the state sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Uzbekistan, protecting interstate, interethnic and interreligious harmony in the country and ensuring respect for the honor, dignity and history of the people of Uzbekistan,” the message emphasized.
