The key facts

  • The Ministry of Internal Affairs draft bans attracting people to mass events by giving away food, clothing and goods free of charge or selling them at excessively reduced prices for advertising purposes.
  • Alcohol sales are proposed to be stopped on the event grounds and within a radius of less than 500 meters at least two hours before the start and for the entire duration, except for events planned in advance.
  • For open areas without seating — no more than one person per square meter; violations may result in a temporary access ban with electronic records kept by internal affairs bodies.

What the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan has drafted a government resolution with requirements for ensuring public safety during mass events; the document has been published for public discussion, which will run until November 20 (UzNews.uz).

Key restrictions

The central innovation is a ban on attracting citizens to mass events by distributing food, clothing and other goods free of charge, or selling them at excessively reduced prices for advertising purposes, as part of promotions and similar activities. This practice, widespread in promotional campaigns, is for the first time subject to a direct regulatory ban at the level of a draft resolution.

Alcohol, capacity and rules for participants

The sale of alcoholic products is proposed to be halted on the event grounds and within a radius of less than 500 meters at least two hours before the start and for the entire duration of the event; an exception is made for events planned in advance. For open areas without fixed seating, a standard is set: as a rule, no more than one person per square meter of usable space, and where additional risks exist, the permitted number of participants may be reduced. Participants are prohibited from being intoxicated, bringing animals, covering their face in a way that makes identification impossible, and entering the stage or sports field without authorization — exceptions are provided for certain cases.

Liability and status of the document

For violating the rules, a coercive measure may be applied in the form of temporary restriction of access to mass events; internal affairs bodies will keep electronic records of such persons. It is important to emphasize: this is still a draft, not an adopted document — all the listed provisions will come into force only after the discussion is completed and the resolution is approved.