The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology
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PAGE NO.
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10.37547/tajpslc/Volume07Issue04-12
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
28 February 2025
ACCEPTED
29 March 2025
PUBLISHED
30 April 2025
VOLUME
Vol.07 Issue04 2025
CITATION
Qodirov Otabek. (2025). The objective aspect of illegally exiting or entering
the republic of Uzbekistan. The American Journal of Political Science Law
and Criminology, 7(04), 64
–
67.
https://doi.org/10.37547/tajpslc/Volume07Issue04-12
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
The objective aspect of
illegally exiting or entering
the republic of Uzbekistan
Qodirov Otabek
Trainee of the Higher School of Judges under the Supreme Judicial Council
of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Abstract:
This article provides a comprehensive analysis
of the objective aspect of illegally exiting or entering the
Republic of Uzbekistan. It examines the legal
requirements for leaving or entering the country and
the consequences of non-compliance. The conditions
under which such acts are considered criminally
complete are also discussed.
Keywords:
Exiting the country, entering the Republic of
Uzbekistan, border crossing, violation of established
procedures, state border, illegal crossing, objective
aspect of a crime, place of commission.
Introduction:
Nowadays, the large-scale tasks of
modernizing the entire system of political, economic,
and legal relations, developing civil society, and
protecting human rights and freedoms are directly
linked to the democratization of the judicial and legal
system.
Over the past years, a fundamentally new concept for
developing the judicial and legal system
—
a key
component in building a democratic rule-of-law state
—
has been implemented in our country.
As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev
noted, “It should be
particularly emphasized that improving criminal policy
by further liberalizing criminal and criminal procedural
legislation and aligning it with the principles of
humanism has become a top priority.” In this context,
scientifically analyzing existing norms of criminal law
and proposing solutions to problems associated with
their application in practice is of great importance in
liberalizing criminal law and ensuring fair punishment
for offenders.
According to Article 223 of the Criminal Code of the
Republic of Uzbekistan, the objective aspect of this
crime consists of actions such as exiting the country or
entering the Republic of Uzbekistan in violation of the
established procedure or illegally crossing the border.
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The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology
From an objective standpoint, this crime is manifested
through any of the following actions: entering the
Republic of Uzbekistan in violation of the established
procedure; exiting the Republic of Uzbekistan in
violation of the established procedure; or crossing the
border of the Republic of Uzbekistan in violation of the
established procedure [1]. Other sources also state
that "the objective aspect of the crime is expressed in
exiting the country or entering the Republic of
Uzbekistan in violation of the legally established
procedure" [2]. According to R.A. Zufarov, the
objective aspect of this crime involves illegally crossing
the state border
—
entering Uzbekistan without proper
authorization, with fake documents, or through
unauthorized locations [3].
G.A. Abdumajidov also emphasizes that "if someone
leaves the country, enters the national territory, or
crosses the border without a valid passport or without
the permission of the relevant authorities, or in
violation of the prescribed procedure (e.g., entering
from an unauthorized point), such acts are considered
illegal. This crime can also be committed using forged
documents belonging to another person or through
other forms of deception (e.g., hiding in a vehicle’s
luggage compartment while crossing the border). In
some cases, force may be used against border guards"
[4].
M.M. Kadirov notes that the objective aspect of this
crime consists of violating the established procedure
for exiting, entering, or crossing the border of the
Republic of Uzbekistan [5]. Other academic sources
express opinions similar to those mentioned above.
In Other Words: The Objective Aspect of the Crime of
Illegally Exiting or Entering the Republic of Uzbekistan
That is, from an objective point of view, this crime is
expressed by violating the legally established
procedures for exiting the country or entering the
Republic of Uzbekistan [6]. Based on the above, it can
be concluded that the objective aspect of the crime of
illegal exit from or entry into the Republic of
Uzbekistan is reflected in crossing the border in
violation of established rules
—
that is, entering or
exiting the country not through official border
checkpoints or doing so through checkpoints but
without valid documents (such as passports or visas),
using any method (on foot, by vehicle), or otherwise
illegally crossing the border.
Crossing into or out of the Republic of Uzbekistan
refers to crossing the state border using various means
of transport (automobile, ship, airplane, bicycle, horse,
or other mechanical or non-mechanical types) [7].
Crossing the state border is only permitted through
locations designated by the Government of the
Republic of Uzbekistan, with the appropriate
documents being processed and presented. If a person
crosses at a location not established by law, without the
necessary permits or documents, and without
presenting them, this is considered an illegal border
crossing [8].
According to the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the
Republic of Uzbekistan in its Resolution dated
November 25, 2011, “On Judicial Pra
ctice in Cases
Related to Violations of the Procedure for Crossing the
State Border of the Republic of Uzbekistan”: “Illegal exit
from or illegal entry into the Republic of Uzbekistan
includes cases where a person crosses the State border
of the Republic of Uzbekistan through official
checkpoints but without the required documents or
without appropriate permission issued by authorized
government bodies. Illegal border crossing also includes
any crossing of the State border outside of the
designated checkpoints, regardless of whether the
person possesses valid documents or permission” [9].
It is thus evident that the objective aspect of the crime
of illegally exiting or entering the Republic of Uzbekistan
is expressed through the term “border crossing.” Illeg
al
border crossing refers to crossing the state border by
any means from places other than officially designated
checkpoints, or even through such checkpoints but in
violation of the established border crossing procedures.
For an act to qualify under Part 1 of Article 223 of the
Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, it is
sufficient for just one of the above-described conditions
to be met.
Crossing the state border of the Republic of Uzbekistan
without possessing the required documents and/or
permission is considered illegal in the context of
criminal law. Required documents refer to valid
documents that grant individuals the right to enter or
exit the Republic of Uzbekistan. Documents considered
invalid include forged (fully or partially), expired, or
damaged documents, documents registered under
another person’s name, those containing outdated
stamps and seals, lacking the official signs of the border
service, improperly issued foreign passports and visas,
as well as other documents not processed in accordance
with the special rules for crossing the State border.
Foreign nationals and stateless persons must have
specific documents: a transit visa through the territory
of Uzbekistan, a visa for entry into the neighboring
country, or a visa for their final destination, along with
valid travel documents for exiting Uzbekistan. When
entering Uzbekistan, foreign citizens and stateless
persons must present valid identification documents
recognized in Uzbekistan and a visa issued by a relevant
diplomatic or consular institution of the Republic of
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The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology
Uzbekistan abroad.
According to Article 32 of the Constitution of the
Republic of Uzbekistan, everyone has the right to freely
exit Uzbekistan, except in cases defined by law.
Citizens of Uzbekistan have the right to return to the
country without hindrance.
Under the established procedures, Uzbek citizens are
not required to obtain a visa sticker to travel to CIS
countries that maintain a visa-free regime. However,
notwithstanding the presence of a visa-free regime
with certain countries in legal regulations, some
categories of citizens (e.g., military personnel,
individuals with access to state secrets, etc.) may be
subject to special rules when exiting the country.
Accordingly, if individuals in these categories travel to
CIS countries
—
where entry visas are not required
—
without special permission, they may be held
criminally liable under Article 223 of the Criminal Code.
Ccording to the law, citizens of the Republic of
Uzbekistan who have temporarily left for countries
that do not require an entry visa (for purposes such as
business trips, study, work under a contract, etc.) must
apply to the diplomatic missions of Uzbekistan abroad
to obtain an entry visa sticker if they need to travel to
a third country where an entry visa is required under
Uzbek law. Failure to follow this procedure is regarded
as illegal departure abroad and may lead to criminal
liability.
Some criminal law textbooks state that if a person
illegally departs from or enters the Republic of
Uzbekistan due to extreme necessity, they are not
criminally liable [10]. However, we believe this view is
debatable. This is because the concept of “extreme
necessity” is itself vague. It is a relative concept—
the
degree of necessity of an act for a person varies over
time and under different circumstances, and assessing
it is very complex. Therefore, we believe this approach
is incorrect.
Only in cases provided by law
—
such as when a foreign
national or stateless person crosses the State Border of
Uzbekistan without the necessary documentation in
order to seek political asylum, and if their actions do
not involve other elements of a crime
—
does this not
constitute a criminal offense. In all other cases, the act
must be deemed criminal and punishable.
Qualification of the crime of illegal departure from or
entry into the Republic of Uzbekistan requires accurate
determination of the moment the crime is considered
completed. Scholarly sources express different views
on when this crime is completed. According to V.M.
Lebedev, the crime is considered completed from the
moment the State Border is actually crossed (on foot,
by any means of transport, secretly or openly) [11]. A
similar view is shared by A.P. Kuznetsov [12], who
believes the crime is complete when the border is
physically crossed, regardless of the method (secretly or
openly, legally or illegally, at designated checkpoints or
elsewhere). A.S. Gorelik also states that the crime is
considered complete once the border or checkpoint has
been crossed [13]. N.G. Kadnikov believes the crime is
completed from the moment the border is physically
crossed. Crossing the control line that does not coincide
with the official border line, without proper documents
or permits, may be considered an attempt [14].
M.P. Zhuravlev and S.I. Nikulin believe the crime is
completed from the moment the border is physically
crossed
—
by land, water, or air. If the border crossing
fails due to circumstances beyond the person’s control
(e.g., apprehension during the attempt), the actions are
considered an attempt. According to I.Ya. Kozachenko,
Z.A. Neznamonova, and G.P. Novoselov, the crime is
formal in nature: it is completed once the border is
crossed without proper documentation or permission
[16]. We support this view.
To describe the objective elements of the crime of illegal
departure or entry, the optional element of location is
of primary importance. The crime is considered to have
taken place at the State Border. The term “State Border”
reflects a complex socio-political phenomenon
compose
d of the concepts “state” and “border,” and
can be interpreted from various perspectives. Generally,
a “border” implies a limitation, a point at which one
system ends and another begins. Borders differentiate
systems and define their interaction.
Illegal border crossing may be done on foot or using any
kind of transport, either secretly or openly, legally or
illegally (i.e., not through official checkpoints), with or
without the use of force. Except in cases involving
violent breach (which fall under part two of Article 223
of the Criminal Code), the method of crossing does not
affect the timing of the crime's completion or its legal
qualification.
Only actual unlawful crossing of the State Border
qualifies as a punishable offense. Therefore, the
offender's awareness of the border being guarded is
significant for criminal liability. If no signs of border
control (posts, patrols, visible markings) are present, the
crossing may not be considered a crime.
According to Article 223 of the Criminal Code, the crime
is considered completed once the State Border is
crossed. At border checkpoints, it is completed once
border control procedures are passed.
It should be noted that crossing the border to seek
political asylum does not lead to criminal liability. In
accordance with part three of Article 223 of the Criminal
Code, foreign nationals and stateless persons entering
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Uzbekistan without proper documentation to exercise
the right to political asylum as stipulated in the
Constitution are exempt from liability.
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