The key facts

  • The law was signed on October 21, 2026, and enters into force on April 22, 2027
  • The letters O‘, G‘, Sh, Ch are replaced with Ö, Ğ, Ş, Ç based on the principle of 'one sound — one letter'
  • The Cabinet of Ministers must approve a program of measures to implement the law within 2 months

The law was signed on Uzbek Language Day

The question of four letters of the Latin-based Uzbek alphabet has been settled at the level of law. The letters O‘, G‘, Sh and Ch, considered technically deficient, are being replaced with the integral characters Ö, Ğ, Ş, Ç based on the principle of 'one sound — one letter.' According to Kun.uz, the law was signed by the president on October 21 — Uzbek Language Day.

Timeline for entry into force and government obligations

The law enters into force six months later — on April 22, 2027. The Cabinet of Ministers has been tasked with approving, within two months, a program of measures to ensure the law's implementation. State bodies must convert their symbols, images of the coat of arms, signage, signs and other objects to the improved alphabet as they wear out or within the deadlines set by the government program.

A long history of the issue

Letters with diacritical marks were present in the Uzbek Latin alphabet adopted in 1993, however in 1995 they were replaced with apostrophe-based variants and letter combinations. With the spread of computers and phones, these letters began to cause practical problems. After the change of power in 2016, a working group on alphabet reform was created: amid heated debates, it proposed various options in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2026, and ultimately this year's proposal took the form of a law. In July 2023 the head of state called for completing the work on improving the alphabet.

Why this matters

The reform affects all users of the Uzbek language — from state bodies to publishers and ordinary citizens, who will have to adapt documents, signage and texts to the new characters. In practical terms, this means a phased replacement of symbols as they wear out or within the deadlines of the government program, as well as the need for the Cabinet of Ministers to approve an implementation plan within the next two months. The details of this program and the exact timelines for converting specific categories of objects remain unknown for now.