Makhalla in the new system of ensuring citizens’ peace

The new effective system that was introduced in Uzbekistan aimed at protecting public order, prevent and fight against the crime has evolved to be a reliable guard in protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens. These practices are built in close collaboration of law enforcement agencies, the population of Uzbeksitan and citizens’ assemblies.

The protection of the rights of citizens represents the level of legal conciousness in the community. Rights are not violated if citizens are aware about the order. On-site trials and meetings are held in makhallas to prevent crimes committed out of ignorance and inform about laws.

Meetings of chairman in criminal, civil and administrative cases, representatives of the Women’s Committee, Youth Union of Uzbekistan, Nuroniy Foundation and the Republican Council for Coordinating the Activities of Civil Society Institutions with residents and public activists are organized and held everywhere. Those are aimed at ensuring transparency of the court activities, familiarizing the population with reforms in the judicial sphere, and increasing the legal literacy of citizens.

The Academy of the Prosecutor General’s Office launched the Center for Analysis and Study of the Causes of Crimes. Activities on the introduction of electronic geographic information maps for analyzing the number and types of crimes in the context of makhallas have already began.

The head of state entrusts internal affairs officers in transforming makhallas to a crime free spaces. This is a prerequisite for the peaceful life of people and fruitful work.

The system of internal affairs undergo reforms. 60% of the system’s employees worked in city and district departments and 40% at places before the reform. Currently, 65% of employees are serving in close contact with the population in makhallas. More than 80 legislative acts were adopted to improve the sphere.

The necessary conditions are created at the levels of internal affairs to ensure the effective work of all officers on a duty, including inspectors for investigation, crime prevention, criminal investigation, working with minors, an employee for registration of entry and exit visas and citizenship and makhalla inspector for prevention.

Crime prevention activities are carried out among women in each makhalla. An emphasis is also paid to the promotion of social integration and solution of social problems of women released from penitentiary institutions.

As a result of the new course in ensuring the citizens’ peace, in 2018 not a single crime was committed among 2301 makhallas (25.5%) of more than 9 thousand. It should be noted that the joint efforts of women’s committees, community activists and prevention inspectors in 2018 led to the decrease of crimes committed by women by 34%[1].

A 24-hour video surveillance system for the assigned territory was introduced in operational duty units. Groups of internal migration and registration of citizenship in the internal affairs bodies provide prompt and high-quality services to residents of communities. Citizens also receive the information on the procedures of filling out documents: passport and visa, internal and external migration related document; biometric passports are issued via digital line.

According to the Global Law and Order World Organization, Uzbekistan ranked fifth the safest country in the world following Singapore, Norway, Iceland and Finland.

The Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On additional measures for increasing the efficiency of ensuring public security”, December 24, 2018, determined the next stage of activity in the fight against crime. The document introduced the position of Assistant Inspector on Prevention to protect public order.

Assistant inspectors for the protection of public order who have made a worthy contribution to crime prevention and crime control are granted the right to receive a quota for the vocational training department of higher education institutions of the internal affairs bodies, which is also the result of attention paid to the sphere.

Comprehensive support is rendered to families with a high probability of committing offenses from the civil society institutions. In order to ensure stable moral and spiritual situation in makhallas, conversations are held with participation of representatives of responsible departments and activists; urgent problems of the population are solved.

As a result of introduction of the new system for eliminating crime in the first quarter of 2019, the crime compared to the same period last year in 7 thousand 38 (78%) out of more than 9 thousand makhallas was not committed.

During this period, as a result of eliminating the conflicts in more than 5 thousand families, prevention inspectors presented 8 thousand 285 documents to the reconciliation commissions operating in makhallas.[2]

Conversations and meetings devoted to the study of traffic rules and prevention of road accidents continue to be held.

The “Olders’ Instructions” groups are organized and functioning to use the wisdom of elderly people and retired ones out of former law enforcement officers in maintaining the stability of socio-spiritual atmosphere in makhallas.

These positive results are primarily intertwined with the public participation. It would have been difficult to imagine the reduction of crimes in makhallas, stabilization of criminal situation without the help provided by the citizens. As noted by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, it is too early, however, to indulge in carelessness. It is necessary to further intensify the interaction between the authorities and administrations in all levels, makhallas, youth, women and the elder generation, educational institutions, the general public. There lies the key to success in ensuring prosperity of the population.

In the recent years large-scale activities on improving the civil society institutions, further strengthening the role and effectiveness of citizens’ assemblies in our lives have been carried out in the country.

The recent elections of the chairman (aksakal) of the citizens’ assembly reinforced the accuracy of the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s course on the democratization of all aspects of public life.

            The elections were held on the basis of the newly revised version of “On the election of the chairman (aksakal) of citizens’ assembly” law adopted in 2018. This experiece is crucial for building a democratic state of law and a just civil society.

[1]              Information message on the nineteenth plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan. May 4, 2019 // Website of Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA) - www.uza.uz.

[2]              Minister of Internal Affairs: «A new crime prevention system has been introduced». April 30, 2019 // Website of Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA) - www.uza.uz.