Please, see below for the text in Uzbek
The Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health raises serious doubts over a draft law that could soon deprive foreign nationals of the opportunity to work in Uzbekistan solely based on their HIV-positive status.
The document was already approved by the country’s Senate in August 2025 and is currently awaiting the President’s signature. The bill introduces mandatory testing for HIV and tuberculosis and allows for the refusal of employment in case of a positive result (link to the bill).
A second and equally alarming aspect of the bill will also oblige Uzbek citizens returning from abroad after a stay of more than 90 days to undergo a mandatory medical testing for HIV.
Civil society experts and UN organizations have not yet had the opportunity to review the draft. On August 18, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science, Education, and Healthcare, B.I. Abdullayev, stated in response to a request for access that the text would only be made public after it is signed by the President.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UNAIDS, the UN agency on AIDS, do not support mandatory HIV testing. Experts warn that such measures can exacerbate stigma and discrimination, deter people from voluntary testing, and hinder access to treatment. Mandatory testing also contravenes basic human rights, including the right to work and to equal treatment.
Uzbekistan has already demonstrated significant success in combating the HIV epidemic by implementing a program aimed at achieving the “95-95-95” targets (Resolution of the President No. RP-14 of January 20, 2023 https://lex.uz/en/docs/7530311), which provides for the testing, treatment, and support of people living with HIV. However, this new low could undermine these achievements and complicate the implementation of strategic health objectives.
The Regional Expert Group urges to revise the bill in accordance with international standards and recommendations of the WHO and the UNAIDS. It is important to involve patient community specialists, experts, and researchers in the discussion. The greatest effect in the fight against HIV is achieved through safe, confidential, and voluntary access to counseling and testing, as recommended by the WHO Consolidated Guidelines.
We are convinced that the Republic of Uzbekistan should create strong conditions for effective HIV prevention and treatment. This will allow the country to preserve its achievements, improve the quality of life for both citizens and foreign residents, and strengthen its international authority as a state that cares for the health and well-being of all its residents.
Previously, the HIV Justice Network appealed to the President of Uzbekistan not to sign the bill on mandatory HIV testing for migrants.
The Regional Expert Group (REG) on Migration and Health in Eastern Europe and Central Asia works to improve the lives of migrants and ensure their access to healthcare. Group members research the situation, share the findings with society and authorities, foster cooperation between countries, and create a common knowledge base in the area of migration and health. The REG brings together over 70 researchers and civil society experts. The List of REG members.
Migratsiya va Sog‘liqni Saqlash Bo‘yicha Mintaqaviy Ekspertlar Guruhi O‘zbekistonda Chet Elliklar va Migrantlar Uchun Majburiy OIV Testi to‘g‘risidagi Qonun Loyihasidan Xavotirda
Migratsiya va Sog‘liqni Saqlash Bo‘yicha Mintaqaviy Ekspertlar Guruhi, O‘zbekistonda tez orada chet el fuqarolarini faqatgina ularning OIV musbat statusi asosida ishlash imkoniyatidan mahrum qilishi mumkin bo‘lgan qonun loyihasidan chuqur tashvish bildirmoqda.
Hujjat 2025-yil avgust oyida mamlakat Senati tomonidan maʼqullanib, hozirda Prezident imzosini kutmoqda. Loyiha OIV va sil kasalligi uchun majburiy testlashni joriy etadi va test natijasi ijobiy bo‘lganda ishga joylashtirishdan bosh tortish imkonini beradi (loyihaga havola https://senat.uz/ru/plenary-sessions/post-3923).
Loyihaning ikkinchi va kamroq tashvishli bo‘lmagan jihati shundaki, u chet elda 90 kundan ortiq bo’lib qaytayotgan O‘zbekiston fuqarolarini ham OIV bo‘yicha majburiy tibbiy ko‘rikdan o‘tkazishni talab qiladi.
Fuqarolik jamiyati mutaxassislari va BMT tashkilotlari hali uning matnini ko‘rib chiqisha olmadilar. Senatning Fan, ta’lim va sog‘liqni saqlash qo‘mitasi raisi B.I. Abdullayev 18 avgust kuni loyiha matnini so‘rashga javoban hujjat faqat Prezident tomonidan imzolangandan keyingina jamoatchilik uchun mavjud bo‘lishini aytdi.
Jahon Sog‘liqni Saqlash Tashkiloti (JSST) va BMTning OITS bo‘yicha dasturi – UNAIDS, majburiy OIV testlashni qo‘llab-quvvatlamaydi. Mutaxassislar ogohlantirmoqdaki, bunday choralar stigma va kamsitishlarni kuchaytirishi, odamlarni ixtiyoriy testlashdan qaytarishi va davolanish imkoniyatini qiyinlashtirishi mumkin. Majburiy testlash, shuningdek, mehnat qilish huquqi va teng munosabatda bo‘lish huquqi kabi asosiy inson huquqlariga ziddir (JSST tavsiyalari).
O‘zbekiston OIV bilan yashovchi odamlarni aniqlash, davolash va qo‘llab-quvvatlashni nazarda tutuvchi “95-95-95” maqsadlariga erishishga qaratilgan dasturni amalga oshirish orqali OIV epidemiyasi bilan kurashda sezilarli muvaffaqiyatlarni namoyish etdi (Prezidentning 2023-yil 20-yanvardagi RP-14-sonli Qarori, https://lex.uz/uz/docs/7530311). Biroq, yangi qonun loyihasi bu erishilgan yutuqlarni zaiflashtirishi va sog‘liqni saqlash bo‘yicha strategik maqsadlarni amalga oshirishni murakkablashtirishi mumkin.
Mintaqaviy Ekspertlar Guruhi, loyihani xalqaro standartlar va JSST hamda UNAIDS tavsiyalariga muvofiq qayta ko‘rib chiqishga chaqiradi. Muhokamada bemorlar hamjamiyati mutaxassislari, ekspertlar va tadqiqotchilarni jalb qilish muhimdir. OIVga qarshi kurashda eng katta samara xavfsiz, maxfiy va ixtiyoriy maslahat olish va testlash orqali erishiladi, xuddi JSSTning “Keng qamrovli ko‘rsatmalari” da tavsiya qilinganidek.
Biz O‘zbekiston Respublikasi OIV infeksiyasining samarli oldini olish va davolash uchun mustahkam sharoitlar yaratishi kerakligiga ishonchimiz komil. Bu mamlakatga o‘zining erishgan muvaffaqiyatlarini saqlab qolish, ham fuqarolar, ham chet ellik aholi uchun hayot sifatini yaxshilash va barcha aholining sog‘lig‘i va farovonligi uchun g‘amxo‘rlik qiladigan davlat sifatida xalqaro obro‘sini mustahkamlash imkonini beradi.
Ilgari, OIV bo‘yicha Adliya Tarmog‘i O‘zbekiston Prezidentiga migrantlar uchun majburiy OIV testi to‘g‘risidagi qonun loyihasini imzolamaslikka murojaat qilgan edi.
Migratsiya va Sog‘liqni Saqlash Bo‘yicha Mintaqaviy Ekspertlar Guruhi (MEG) Sharqiy Yevropa va Markaziy Osiyoda migrantlarning hayotini yaxshilash va ularning sog‘liqni saqlash xizmatlaridan foydalanishini ta’minlash uchun ishlaydi. Guruh a’zolari vaziyatni o‘rganadilar, natijalarni jamiyat va hokimiyat organlari bilan baham ko‘radilar, mamlakatlar o‘rtasida hamkorlikni rivojlantiradilar va migrantlarning sog‘ligi masalalari bo‘yicha umumiy bilimlar bazasini yaratadilar. MEG 70 dan ortiq tadqiqotchi va fuqarolik jamiyati ekspertlarini birlashtiradi. MEG ishtirokchilari ro‘yxati.