On November 21, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a law that recognizes digital evidence on the same level as physical evidence in legal proceedings. The law was initially rejected twice: once in June 2022 and again in November 2023. Finally, the law passed the Legislative Chamber on August 27 and the Senate on October 24.
The preamble to the law states that the increase in crimes and violations of citizens’ rights in the digital sphere necessitates the establishment of a legal framework for digital evidence.
The law amends the Criminal Procedure Code, the Civil and Economic Procedure Code, and the Code of Administrative Responsibility. At the same time, additional amendments have been made to the laws on notarial activities, arbitration courts, and legal expertise. These amendments provide regulations for the examination and verification of digital evidence.
The definition of digital evidence is as follows: Electronic information, any electronic files, audio and video recordings, internet data and other forms of electronic information that contain information in any criminal case or dispute.
The law provides that digital evidence may be copied only if the integrity and authenticity of the original information is ensured. Also, digital evidence may only be presented in a written document in a legal process, but it is not admissible as written evidence.
The law will be implemented in legal structures for the purpose of admissibility and verification of digital information under appropriate legal procedures, and digital evidence will play an important role in determining facts in criminal and civil cases.
