Uzbekistan introduces strict regulations on individual charity fundraising

At a session of the Legislative Chamber, a draft law aimed at improving the regulation of sponsorship and charitable activities was reviewed.

The proposed law introduces specific procedures for collecting charitable donations in cash, via bank transfers, or in the form of material goods by charitable organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and legal entities involved in sponsorship — both as donors and recipients.

If donations are collected in cash, they must be done strictly through donation boxes or by transferring funds to the official bank accounts of registered charities, donors, or recipients.

In cases where donations are collected in the form of material goods, a formal inventory will be created, and a document detailing the type and quantity of the items received must be issued.

To ensure transparency, all donation collection activities must be publicly disclosed at both the start and conclusion of the process. Relevant reports must be published via media outlets, official websites, or social media pages, and reflected in tax reports.

Severe restrictions on individual charity efforts

The law also establishes strict regulations on how private individuals, including volunteers, can collect charitable donations.

From now on, individuals will only be allowed to raise funds for their own needs or those of close relatives. Volunteers assisting unrelated individuals will be limited to merely announcing fundraising efforts — they will not be permitted to handle donations themselves.

Furthermore, donation boxes may only be installed by registered NGOs or other authorized legal entities involved in charitable activities. The donation boxes must be transparent, and their placement must be announced in advance. Additionally, when opening the boxes, witnesses must be present, the process must be recorded on video, and the footage must be made publicly available.

Stricter penalties for violations

Violations of charity-related laws will now carry administrative liability.

Authorities justify the need for this law by citing frequent cases where unscrupulous individuals exploit public trust to unlawfully acquire money and assets due to the lack of clear legal regulations on fundraising.

In the past, several incidents were reported where fraudsters stole money collected on charity-linked bank cards, leading to criminal prosecutions.

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