Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a law amending the Administrative Responsibility Code to establish penalties for the unauthorized keeping of prohibited wild animals.

According to the new law, individuals found keeping wild animals that are prohibited from being housed in semi-free conditions, artificially created habitats, or captivity will face confiscation of the animals and a fine ranging from 5 to 10 sizes of basic estimated value (currently from 11,875,000 to 23,750,000 soums).

If the violation results in harm to human health or damage to the property of individuals or legal entities, and does not constitute a crime, the animals will also be confiscated, and the offenders will be fined between 30 and 50 sizes of basic estimated value (from 71,250,000 to 118,750,000 soums).

Previously, no such regulation existed.

The law comes into effect upon its official publication.