Uzbekistan Proposes Sentence Reduction for Reading Books

Uzbekistan is considering a new initiative that would allow incarcerated persons to reduce their sentences by reading books. Inmates could reduce their time by three days for each book they read — up to a maximum of ten books per year, Orda.kz reports, citing Kun.uz.

The proposal was discussed in a meeting of the Oliy Majlis's legislative chamber. According to the document, a new article 74-1 was introduced into the Criminal Code, which deals with the correction of incarcerated persons through self-education.

Under this system, those who read a book from an approved list and pass a related exam would have their sentence reduced by three days. However, they would be limited to reading no more than ten books within 12 months.

The Republican Center for Spirituality and Education would determine the list of eligible books. Lawmakers believe this initiative will facilitate moral rehabilitation.

Additionally, participation in the program may be considered when evaluating parole requests or sentence reductions.

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova