The Fergana City Criminal Court tried a female defendant for knowingly placing another person at risk of contracting HIV, in violation of Part 4 of Article 113 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The trial took place on 18 February 2026, with the presiding judge, prosecutor, defense counsel, victim, and witnesses present.
The court heard that the defendant had been diagnosed with HIV on 3 March 2023 and placed under dispensary supervision at the Fergana Regional AIDS Center. Medical personnel repeatedly warned her of the risk of transmitting the virus to others and of the potential criminal liability under Article 113. She had been informed of the methods of HIV transmission and counseled on preventive measures, including avoiding unprotected sexual contact.
Despite these warnings, in October 2025, the defendant met the victim through a social network and arranged sexual intercourse for a monetary payment. On 22 October 2025, the victim went to her apartment and engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse, unaware that she was HIV-positive. During the encounter, law enforcement officers entered the premises and took procedural measures, confirming her HIV status and placing both parties under observation.
The victim testified that he had accepted the defendant’s offer for paid sexual services, later filing a complaint when he realized that the conduct could constitute a legal violation. Witnesses confirmed the defendant’s prior knowledge of her HIV-positive status and the counseling she had received. Medical experts testified that while the defendant was receiving antiretroviral therapy, which reduces viral load, the virus remained transmissible.
The defendant admitted full guilt during the trial and expressed remorse. She had no prior convictions, had one child, and was unemployed. The court considered mitigating factors, including her confession, lack of prior criminal record, the absence of complaints from the victim, and her personal circumstances.
After reviewing all evidence, including witness testimony, medical records, and procedural documentation, the court found that the defendant had knowingly placed another person at risk of contracting HIV. The criminal act was correctly qualified under Part 4 of Article 113 of the Criminal Code.
The court sentenced the defendant to three years’ imprisonment in a colony of general order, taking into account both the seriousness of the offense and the mitigating circumstances. The bail previously granted was revoked, and the defendant was to be arrested immediately in the courtroom. Any pledged funds were ordered returned to the close relatives of the pledger. The court noted that the sentence could be appealed to the Fergana Regional Court within ten days.
