A woman was convicted under Part 4 of Article 113 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan for knowingly exposing another individual to the risk of HIV infection. This marked her third conviction under the same article.
She had previously been sentenced: On April 27, 2022 – to 4 years of restricted liberty for a similar offense; On July 5, 2023 – again convicted under Part 4 of Article 113 ; On March 18, 2024 – sentenced to 4 years and 6 months of restricted liberty, with a portion of that sentence unserved at the time of her new offense.
Despite warnings issued on February 8, 2025, and ongoing supervision, she allegedly attempted to engage in sexual activity without disclosing her HIV status. The act took place in a private residence and compensation was arranged.
In the appeal hearing held on May 6, 2025, the defense appealed for leniency citing her status as a single mother and her expressed remorse. However, the appeal court found no grounds to alter the original sentence, emphasising that the defendant was repeatedly warned and counselled, and committed the same crime again while under a previous sentence.
The court concluded that the crime reflected a “pattern of deliberate disregard for legal warnings and public health risks”. The sentence of 5 years and 1 month of imprisonment was upheld, and the appeal was denied.
