Uchkuduk District Criminal Court in Uzbekistan heard a case involving an individual charged under Part 4 of Article 113 of the Criminal Code—knowingly placing another person at risk of HIV infection. The trial was held in a closed session with the presence of the accused, the victim, the prosecutor, and the defense attorney.
The defendant, a repeat offender with a significant criminal history, had been diagnosed with HIV while incarcerated and was officially registered at a regional AIDS center. He was informed of his obligations under national law, including the duty to disclose his HIV-positive status to sexual partners and use protection during intercourse.
Between January and March 2025, the defendant engaged in unprotected sexual relations with the victim on multiple occasions without initially disclosing his HIV status. According to court findings, he only disclosed his diagnosis after several encounters. The victim, though later informed, continued the relationship, but ultimately reported the matter to authorities. At the time of the trial, the victim had not been tested for HIV and requested a non-custodial sentence for the defendant.
The court acknowledged the defendant’s partial admission of guilt, his remorse, and the victim’s lack of demand for severe punishment as mitigating factors. However, due to the deliberate exposure of another person to a life-threatening disease and the defendant’s classification as a highly dangerous repeat offender, the court imposed a custodial sentence.
Verdict:
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The defendant was found guilty under Part 4 of Article 113.
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Sentence: 5 years of imprisonment to be served in a special regime colony.
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Credit for time served was granted from the date of arrest in April 2025.
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The original pre-trial detention order remained in force.
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Parties were granted 10 days to appeal.
