Uzbekistan: Where reforms can put on Janus face
Officials mull measure to create prison population of lectiophiles.

The authoritarian-minded leadership of Uzbekistan is promoting reforms that may have decidedly progressive outcomes in such areas as love and crime.
The watchdog group Freedom House describes Uzbekistan as “an authoritarian state with few signs of democratization” in which the “the legislature and judiciary effectively serve as instruments of the executive branch.” Yet, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s desire to modernize the Uzbek economy occasionally prompts authorities to embrace social concepts that seem out of sync with the authoritarian playbook.
Recent legislative proposals highlight this seeming contradiction. A bill proposed by the country’s Legislative Chamber, for example, would crack down on the practice of polygamy, which is permitted under Islamic law. The legislation would also require the “obligatory, voluntary consent of both parties to a marriage,” confirmed during a civil ceremony. State recognition of a marriage also requires a civil ceremony under the bill. A religious wedding could occur after the civil nuptials.
The administration’s motive for proposing the bill may well be a desire to extend its control over spiritual life in the country, whose citizens are predominantly Muslim. But an outcome of the legislation, if enacted and enforced, would be enhanced protection for women’s rights.
Another initiative, proposed by a pro-government political party, would enable convicted criminals to shave time off their prison sentences by reading books, the British newspaper The Telegraph reports. Under the proposed rule, a prisoner could reduce his/her sentence by up to 30 days annually by reading 10 books within a year, passing a test on each book to confirm that the contents were read and understood.
Prisoners would not be able to read just any book to qualify for sentence reduction; they would have to choose from a list approved by Uzbek government’s Center for Spirituality and Enlightenment. That probably means more Dale Carnegie than Dan Brown.
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.