Men in Uzbekistan fined for wearing beards

Tengrinews.kz - Several men in Uzbekistan have been fined for wearing beards under the same law that penalizes women for wearing fully face-covering clothing, reports Podrobno.uz.

According to court rulings available on the Supreme Court’s website, men in several regions of Uzbekistan have been held accountable for growing beards.

On October 31 of last year, a law was passed amending the Code of Administrative Responsibility (KoAO) to penalize "being in public places with a covered face to the extent that it prevents identification, except in cases of medical necessity, wearing safety headgear for road safety, or during professional, cultural, or sports activities, as well as other cases explicitly allowed by law." Violating this law results in fines ranging from 10 to 15 base calculation units, which amounts to 3.4 to 5.1 million soums (approximately 130,000 to 194,000 tenge).

The Supreme Court’s database contains 789 cases citing Article 184, paragraph 4 of the KoAO. The first ruling under this article was issued on November 23.

In instances where men resist arrest and refuse to shave, they are charged with hooliganism and defying "lawful orders" from law enforcement officers.

Some judges have dismissed charges under Article 184-4, stating that a beard does not prevent identification. However, in most cases, men receive fines.

There have also been instances where defendants filed appeals or complaints, citing medical reasons for covering their faces, leading courts to overturn previous decisions.

Additionally, some detainees have been pressured by law enforcement to shave their beards.