An 18-year-old woman has been arrested in the Bukhara Region of Uzbekistan on suspicion of attempting to sell her newborn baby. The regional Department of Internal Affairs reported the incident, stating that an operational measure was carried out on April 6, revealing that a resident of the Bukhara District intended to hand over her three-day-old daughter in exchange for money.

The suspect allegedly planned to sell the child for $4,000 and was apprehended with material evidence while receiving $800 from an undercover buyer. A criminal case has been initiated under Part 3, Article 135 of the Criminal Code (trafficking in persons against a victim known to be under eighteen years of age), with preliminary investigative actions currently underway.

This case follows a prior incident in the Kashkadarya Region, where a nurse who sold a three-year-old girl for 19 million soums was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison. These events highlight the ongoing issue of human trafficking, particularly child trafficking, in Uzbekistan, despite recent legal reforms.

According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 177 cases related to human trafficking were recorded in Uzbekistan in 2025. Currently, three main types of trafficking are considered prevalent: sexual exploitation, labor exploitation, and baby trafficking. In the first quarter of 2026, 57 cases linked to human trafficking were identified, indicating a persistent challenge.

It is worth noting that last year, Uzbekistan tightened penalties for human trafficking. Specifically, committing the crime of human trafficking using forged documents now carries a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years (previously 5 to 8 years). If the crime results in the death of the victim, the perpetrator faces 10 to 15 years of imprisonment.

Source: www.gazeta.uz