Uzbekistan's constitutional amendment expands human rights, freedom of expression

By Bahtiyar Abdulkerimov

TASHKENT (AA) - Some 90.21% of voters cast their ballots in favor of a constitutional amendment in a nationwide referendum in Uzbekistan last Sunday.

The newly adopted constitution invoked a 65% change to Uzbekistan's previous 128-article constitution with the addition of 27 new articles and increased the number of constitutional norms from 275 to 434.

Defining Uzbekistan as a social, secular, and legal state for the first time, the new constitution also emphasizes the country as a republic and that "social life in Uzbekistan develops on the basis of the diversity of political institutions, ideologies, and ideas."

The new constitution, which includes human rights and freedoms such as freedom of the press, expression, conscience and religious belief, further defines them as of "the highest value" and underlines that the state protects these values, and guarantees them.

While the norms regarding the social obligations of the state were increased by threefold under the new constitution, the statement "providing human rights and freedoms is the highest aim of the state" was also included.

The constitution additionally states that all citizens have the same rights and freedoms and are equal before the law, regardless of gender, race, nationality, language, religion, belief, social origin and social status.

The new constitution also resulted in structural changes, notably reducing the number of members in the Senate, the upper house of the country's parliament, from 100 to 65, and transferring some duties and powers of the president to the parliament.

Among the new regulations, the president's term in office has also been increased from five to seven years.

While the right of a person to be elected president for a maximum of two consecutive times is included in the new constitution, the previous terms of the president and other high-level officials will not be taken into account.

* Writing by Burc Eruygur in Istanbul