In a statement published by the Consulate General, it is emphasized that participation in military actions outside the country is classified as mercenarism and carries criminal penalties. In Uzbekistan, this can result in imprisonment for up to 10 years.
The consulate strongly advised citizens of the republic not to succumb to provocations, to exercise caution, and to avoid involvement in conflicts related to the Russian armed forces. This appeal came against the backdrop of several high-profile trials concerning the participation of Uzbek citizens in military actions in Ukraine.
For instance, in the Samarkand region, a man who fought on the side of Russia in Ukraine was sentenced to three years in prison. He signed a contract with the Russian armed forces in 2023, obtained Russian citizenship, and returned to Uzbekistan after being injured. The court found him guilty under the article on mercenarism.
On August 21, 2024, the Mirzo-Ulugbek District Court of Tashkent sentenced another Uzbek citizen to four years of restriction of freedom for participating in armed actions as part of the private military company (PMC) "Wagner." According to the investigation, in September 2022, the man went to Russia for work, but upon seeing an advertisement on Telegram recruiting for PMC "Wagner," he signed a contract. He was attracted by the high salary of over $2500, as well as an additional payment of $500 for completing combat training. The man fully admitted his guilt in court and expressed remorse, which mitigated his sentence.
In September 2023, the Tashkent court issued another sentence to a 48-year-old citizen of the republic who also participated in military actions in Ukraine as part of "Wagner." After completing his contract, he was offered Russian citizenship, but he refused and returned to Uzbekistan, where he was detained and sentenced to four years of restriction of freedom.
In November 2023, Uzbek citizen Khamatkhanov, who joined PMC "Wagner," was arrested in the republic and sentenced to 5 years in prison as a mercenary.