Banks and payment systems in Uzbekistan are now required to strictly comply with cybersecurity and information security standards.
According to a presidential decree by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, published by the Ministry of Justice on its official Telegram channel, financial institutions will be held accountable for compensating citizens who suffer losses due to cybercrime.
At the same time, new administrative and criminal liabilities are introduced for individuals who provide access to personal bank cards, accounts, SIM cards, or e-wallets for the commission of cybercrimes.
Extortion attempts involving money or property will face harsher penalties, and the use of information technologies in such crimes will be treated by courts as an aggravating factor.
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan is tasked with implementing a range of anti-cybercrime measures. By September 1, a unified platform will be launched to track transactions and store data from payment organizations and credit bureaus.
Also by that date, a fraud prevention system will be introduced for use by commercial banks and payment operators. A monthly report will list organizations with the highest number of reported cybercrimes.
November has been officially designated as the “Month of Cyber Culture Promotion” across the country.
The Central Bank will promptly share information about suspicious schemes, including financial pyramids, with law enforcement. Banks will be authorized to block cards upon request from investigative authorities.
If suspicious transactions are detected involving minors, banks must notify the parents. Antivirus software will become mandatory for all banking mobile apps.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan will coordinate the national response to cybercrime.
President Mirziyoyev also signed a decree on reforming the system of internal affairs bodies, according to an official statement from the President's Office.
Key priorities for the coming years include enhancing crime-fighting efficiency through integration of AI-based information infrastructure, coordinating digital technology units, and maintaining crime statistics without human involvement.
A new position will be created at the Tashkent and Tashkent Region police departments: Deputy Chief for Digital Technologies and Legal Statistics.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 7, 2025