The proposed changes to the Code of Offenses include the following provisions:
1. Article 126-1. Begging
- Engaging in begging on the roadway and persistently soliciting in public places for money or other material goods will result in community service for a period of 20 to 30 hours or arrest for up to three days.
- A repeated such act within a month after the imposition of penalties will lead to community service from 30 to 40 hours or arrest from three to five days.
- If such an act is committed by a foreigner repeatedly within a month after punishment, it will result in their deportation.
- Involvement in begging of elderly people, individuals with mental disorders, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities will be punished with a fine of 200 calculation indicators (20,000 soms).
- A repeated such involvement of a foreigner within a month will also lead to deportation.
“Children who beg even use QR codes and can pretend to be crying to get money. This happens in front of the police, and nothing is done. Perhaps they are interested in this themselves,” Bekeshev noted, calling for raids.
Additionally, he touched on the issue of street musicians, who do not ask for money directly but collect donations. “They should not be touched,” he emphasized.
Kamila Talieva, for her part, suggested creating a mechanism that allows charitable assistance to be provided only through official funds, as cases of financial fraud have become frequent.
