Those who married off a 15-year-old girl in Denau have been held accountable

In the Surkhandarya region, a situation that has sharply attracted public attention was noted. Children's Ombudsman Surayyo Rakhmonova reported that illegal actions related to the marriage of a minor girl took place in the Denau district, and a criminal case was initiated on this fact.

According to the information, on July 8, 2025, a 67-year-old citizen of the district organized the marriage ceremony of her 15-year-old grandson to a 28-year-old man. Due to the fact that the girl has not yet reached the legal marriageable age, the official registration process has not been carried out. However, in exchange for financial gain, a 75-year-old man performed a religious marriage ceremony for them.

Investigative bodies immediately took action in connection with this situation. A criminal case has been initiated against the person who read the marriage under the articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan related to violation of the requirements of the law on marriageable age and the illegal implementation of the marriage procedure. Also, a case was initiated against the 28-year-old groom under the article providing for sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16.

Preliminary investigative actions are currently underway in this criminal case. It is emphasized that the responsible agencies will comprehensively study the situation and take strict measures within the framework of the law.

This event once again demonstrated the need to protect the rights of minors and resolutely combat their early marriages. As can be seen from the public discussions, society supports an uncompromising position regarding such cases.