According to the proposed changes, begging on the roadway and persistent requests for money in public places will be punishable by community service for a period of 20 to 30 hours or arrest for up to three days. For repeat offenses, stricter measures are provided: community service from 30 to 40 hours or arrest from three to five days.
The bill also introduces a fine of 20,000 soms for involving elderly people, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, and those suffering from mental disorders in begging.
If a foreign citizen is caught begging or being involved in it, they will be expelled from the country if they repeat the offense within a month after being subjected to punishment measures.
The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs noted that the problem of begging is becoming increasingly relevant, especially in Bishkek and Osh, where statistics show a rise in this phenomenon.
Some deputies expressed doubts about the new norms. For example, Ulukbek Uzakbaev asked whether the police would punish people collecting money for children's treatment. He suggested clarifying the difference between charity and begging in the bill.
Deputy Bolot Ibragimov, for his part, proposed applying existing measures for traffic violations to beggars who create obstacles for vehicle movement.
Following the discussion, the deputy minister promised to refine the bill before its second reading, and the committee members approved its concept in the first reading.
