In Samarkand, the "Najot" center will be created to protect children who have suffered from violence
In the Samarkand region, procedural actions involving minor victims in a number of criminal cases will be conducted in the specialized "Najot" center based on the "Barnahus" model, and from January 1, 2027, child victims and child witnesses will be provided with state legal aid from specially trained lawyers.
Najot Center for Protection of Children Affected by Violence to Appear in Samarkand
The Najot Center will open in Samarkand under the Center for Support and Social Integration of Children of the National Social Protection Agency. It will operate without forming a legal entity. To ensure its operation, four staff positions are provided, and, if necessary, psychologists, psychiatrists, special educators, rehabilitation specialists, and other relevant specialists can be involved in its activities.
Starting October 20, interrogations of underage victims, obtaining samples for expert examination, identification, and other procedural actions regarding certain categories of crimes, mainly related to sexual violence and exploitation of children, will be conducted in specially equipped premises of the center. The innovation will apply to crimes committed in the Samarkand Region.
Procedural actions must be conducted by a specially trained prosecutor's office employee, taking into account the conclusion of the center's psychologist. A legal representative of the child, their lawyer, an investigator, experts, a social worker, and a psychologist will also participate in them.
All actions are subject to mandatory audio and video recording. The resulting recordings will be attached to the materials of the criminal case and can be used in court without summoning the child. At the same time, it is prohibited to store recordings at the center, transfer them to third parties, or distribute them in any form. Direct contact between the victim child and the suspect, the accused, their relatives, and defense attorneys without the participation of the child's legal representative is also not allowed.
By the end of 2026, it is planned to train at least 10 lawyers in each region under special programs for working with children based on international standards. From January 1, 2027, the trained lawyers will provide state legal aid to children recognized as victims or involved as witnesses in criminal cases.
The National Social Protection Agency's 24-hour hotline at short number 1246 will be integrated with the unified dispatch service 112. This will allow for the prompt receipt and automatic processing of appeals, as well as sending them to the relevant state authorities.
Agencies that receive such appeals will be obliged to consider them within the timeframes established by law and inform the applicant or their legal representative, the National Social Protection Agency, and the relevant prosecutor about the results.