In the name of human honor and dignity

The modernization of the country and the construction of a New Uzbekistan based on the principle of "The initiator of reforms is society itself" necessitate a popular vote on constitutional reforms, adapting our Basic Law to today's realities in society and the logic of our accelerated reforms.

Proceeding from the idea that "the people should be the sole source and author of the Constitution," a nationwide discussion was held on the draft Constitutional Law, during which over 220 thousand proposals for its improvement were received from the population, most of which were taken into account.
In connection with the amendments and additions to the Constitution, the existing 128 articles have increased to 155, of which 91 have conceptual changes.
For the first time, the Constitution establishes as an immutable provision that Uzbekistan is a sovereign, democratic, legal, social and secular State (article 1). This fundamental norm is aimed at preserving and further strengthening the independence of our country, intensive continuation of reforms based on the principle of "In the name of the honor of human dignity" and ensuring the priority of law.
In addition, according to the norm of article 19 of the new version of the Constitution, "Human rights and freedoms belong to everyone from birth." Human life, honor, dignity, freedom, equality, security, inviolability are considered natural and inalienable rights. 
The human rights and freedoms that a person has from birth are defined in almost 80 international human rights instruments to which Uzbekistan is a party.
Ensuring these fundamental and inalienable human rights is enshrined at the constitutional level as the most important task of the country and society. This means that in order for everyone to have these rights, no formalities are required, and they are guaranteed by the state.
Moreover, according to article 20 of the draft, all contradictions and ambiguities in the relationship of a person with State bodies are interpreted in favor of a person, and legal measures should be based on the principle of proportionality and be sufficient to achieve legitimate goals.
The draft amendments to the Basic Law also clearly define the amount of pensions, benefits and other types of social assistance provided by law, which cannot be lower than the officially defined minimum consumer spending. The norm that citizens have the right to receive a guaranteed amount of medical care at the expense of the state is strictly fixed.
Additional norms aimed at strengthening the social protection system of the population are being introduced. In particular, the draft provides for the tasks of the state to protect citizens from unemployment and take measures to reduce poverty. In addition, the State organizes and encourages vocational training and retraining of citizens to ensure their employment.
In addition, the right of our citizens to housing is fixed at the constitutional level. It is determined that the state will stimulate housing construction and create conditions for the realization of the right to housing. The legal basis for providing housing to socially needy categories is being created.
The Constitution also clearly establishes the norm according to which no one can be deprived of housing without a court decision and by illegal means. The owner deprived of his house, in the cases and in the manner prescribed by law, is compensated in advance and at equal cost for his cost and the damage caused. The introduction of this norm into the Basic Law is a reasonable solution that protects the interests of owners in the issue of demolitions, which has become one of the acute problems in society for several years.
The draft amendments establish that taxes and fees should be fair and not hinder citizens from exercising their rights. In conditions of increasingly developing market relations, this norm will serve to ensure the rights and interests of all citizens and entrepreneurs.
Special attention in the draft Constitutional Law is paid to the expansion of the participation of citizens in the management of the affairs of society and the state. In particular, it was determined that the procedure for the formation and execution of the State Budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan will be carried out on the principles of openness and transparency, and citizens and civil society institutions will exercise public control over the formation and execution of the State Budget. 
In order to ensure the environmental rights of citizens, to prevent harmful effects on the environment, the state creates conditions for public control in the field of urban development. The public discussion of draft town-planning documents is intensifying.
These provisions ensure the priority of human rights, increase the responsibility of State bodies in the performance of their duties with respect for human rights, and prevent the use of excessive measures of legal influence against a person.
In accordance with article 31 of the draft Basic Law, guarantees of personal inviolability in criminal proceedings are enshrined: everyone has the right to freedom and inviolability of private life, to the secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations, postal, electronic and other communications. Restriction of this right is allowed only on the basis of a court decision.
It should be noted regarding the constitutional reforms in the part of the Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsman). According to article 98 of the draft Constitutional Law, citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan who have the right to vote, in the number of at least one hundred thousand people, the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights (Ombudsman), the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan are given the right to submit legislative proposals to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan as a legislative initiative.
Granting the Ombudsman the right of legislative initiative will serve to fill in the gaps identified in the legislation during the study of citizens' appeals.
The amendments to the Constitution of Uzbekistan have incorporated the most modern democratic values, the results of an in-depth analysis of the international practice of constitutional construction of developed states.

Gabit Aidarov.
Head of the Sector of the Secretariat of the Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsman).