Uzbekistan: Woman sentenced to 3 years of restricted liberty for alleged HIV exposure

On August 4, 2026, the Ohangaron City Court, examined a case involving criminal charges brought against the defendant under Article 113, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Prior to the trial, the defendant was subject to a written pledge of good conduct as a non-custodial preventive measure and received a copy of the indictment on July 27, 2026.

The court established that the defendant was officially registered as an HIV-positive individual in 2022 and was legally warned via a signed acknowledgement on June 24, 2022, regarding the criminal liability for transmitting the infection. From 2023 until February 2026, the defendant resided continuously in a religious marriage (shar’iy nikoh) with the victim at a residence in Ohangaron City. During this period, the defendant repeatedly engaged in voluntary, unprotected sexual relations with the victim without utilizing preventive measures, knowingly placing the victim at risk of HIV transmission.

In the judicial session, the defendant pled partially guilty, confirming that she understood the criminal warnings provided by medical professionals in 2022 but continued to engage in unprotected intercourse with the victim up until February 2026. The victim testified that he was tested regularly following the defendant’s 2022 diagnosis, that he occasionally consumed her prescribed medication to mitigate transmission risks, and that he held no claims against her, requesting a lenient sentence due to their minor children. The court verified the defendant’s guilt through the primary case materials, cross-examination protocols, and investigative documentation.

The Ohangaron City Court found the defendant guilty of committing the crime specified under Article 113, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Applying Article 57 of the Criminal Code—taking into account mitigating factors including her full admission of guilt, remorse, lack of prior convictions, current pregnancy, and the care of three minor children—the court sentenced the defendant to 3 years of restricted liberty (probation).