Article 1

Uzbek is an official language of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Article 2

Giving to Uzbek the status of official language shall not infringe the constitution rights of nations and ethnic groups reside in the territory the Republic of Uzbekistan to use their native languages.

Article 3

The legal basis to use Uzbek as an official language in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be determined by the present Law and other legislative documents. Questions relating use of language in the Republic of Karakalpakstan also shall be determined by the legislation of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. The present Law shall not regulate use of languages in every day life, in inter-persons intercourse and during performing any religious and cultural customs. The citizens have right to choose the language of inter-national intercourse by their own discretion.

Article 4

In the Republic of Uzbekistan all citizens shall be provided with conditions to study the official language, the respective relation to languages of nations and ethnic groups live in its territory shall be supported, and the conditions to develop such languages shall be arranged as well.

Teaching citizens to official language shall be free of charge.

Article 5

The establishment of children's preschool institutions using official language and in the territories of dense residence of ethnic groups also using native languages shall be provided in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Article 6

Individuals reside in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be granted the right to choose language of education.

The Republic of Uzbekistan provides finished general, special technical, specialised secondary and higher education on official language, as well as on other languages.

Article 7

The current scientific rules and norms of the uzbek literary language shall be observed in official use of official language.

The Government shall provide enriching and perfection of the uzbek language also by introducing of universally reorganised scientific, technical, social and political terms.

The new science based terms shall be introduced into the uzbek language after public discussion and under the approval of the Olij Majlis Committee concerned.

Article 8

Legislative documents of the Republic of Uzbekistan and other documents of state authorities shall be adopted and published on the official language. Translations of such documents may also be published on other languages.

Documents of local authorities shall be adopted and declared on the official language. In the territories of dense residence of representatives of some ethnic groups the documents of local authorities shall be adopted and declared on the official language of the republic and language of such group.

Article 9

In the establishments of state authority the clerical work shall be arranged on the official language and in case of necessity provided with translation on other languages.

The official language as well as languages chosen by participants shall be the working languages of any international conferences hold in Uzbekistan.

Article 10

The clerical work, accounting, statistic and financial documentation at any enterprises, institutions, establishments and public societies shall be kept on the official language, and in the associations where the majority of employees do not know Uzbek may also be kept on other languages.

Article 11

Legal proceedings shall be effected on the official language or on the language of the majority of inhabitants of the current territory.

Individuals participating in the case and do not know the language on which the legal proceedings is effected shall be granted the right to acquaint with materials of the case, participate in the proceedings with help of interpreter and right to appear for the defence in the court on native language.

The official language shall be used during consideration and settle of economical disagreements among enterprises, institutions and establishments. Under the mutual agreement of parties economical disagreements may also be considered on another language.

Article 12

In the Republic of Uzbekistan any notary procedures shall be effected on the official language. Under request of citizens the text of document compiled by state notary or person acting as a notary shall be issued on Russian and if possible on other acceptable language.

Article 13

Statements of civil status, documents identifying the individual and his rights shall be drawn on the official language and in case of necessity may be duplicated on another language.

Article 14

Individuals reside in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be provided with right to apply to state institutions, establishments and public societies with any applications, proposals, and claims on official and other language.

Article 15

Individuals reside in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan independently of their nationality shall have a right to write own name, family name and surname according to the national and historical traditions.

Article 16

TV and radio broadcasts shall be transmitted on the official language and other languages as well.

Article 17

Publishing activity shall be performed on the official language and according to any requirements on other languages.

Article 18

Post and cable sendings shall be performed on the official language or under the citizens desire on another language.

Article 19

Texts of seals, stamps and forms of establishments, institutions and public societies shall be compiled on the official language.

Texts of seals, stamps and forms of international institutions, establishments and joint venture companies located in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan as well as national and cultural societies and canters shall be duplicated on the official language.

Article 20

Texts of signboards, notices, price-labels and other visual as well as oral information shall be compiled and declared on the official language and may be duplicated on the other languages.

Article 21

Product manufactured by enterprises shall be provided with tags, instructions and labels on the official language and other languages.

Article 22

Names of administrative-territorial units, areas, streets and geographical objects of the republic shall be written on the official language.

Article 23

Texts of International Treaty of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be drawn up in the official language and the language of contrary part (parts) if another is not determined in the agreement.

Article 24

Any neglect or hostile relation to the official or other languages is prohibited in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Persons disturbing citizens' right to choose the language for intercourse, education and training shall bear the responsibility under the legislation.

RESOLUTION OF OLIJ MAJLIS OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN ON PROCEDURE TO PUT THE NEW WORDING OF LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN "ON OFFICIAL LANGUAGE" IN FORCE.

Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan resolves:

1.         To put the new wording of Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan ''On official language" in force from the day of publishing (excluding Articles 9 and 10)

2.         To determine that Articles 9 and 10 of Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On official language" shall be implemented from the moment of complete change on uzbek alphabet based on latin script i.e from September 1, 2005.

3.         Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall bring the resolutions of the goverment into accord with Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On official language" and provide ministers and departments of the republic to review their normative documents contradicting to the present Law.

4.         Science, education, culture and sport Committee of Olij Majlis shall provide the control over the observance of Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On official language".

CHAIRMAN OF OLIJ MAJLIS OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTANE.HALILOV
Tashkent,
December 21, 1995

DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN ON ALTERATIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW ON "OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN"

In order to improve the process of consecutive apply of official language and to provide on effective transition to Uzbek alphabet based on Latin script the Olij Madjlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan decrees:

to introduce to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan of 21 October 1989 on "Official Language of the Republic of Uzbekistan" (Gazette of Supreme Counsel of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 1989, N 26-28, page 453) the alterations and amendments and approve its new version (enclosed).

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN KARIMOV
Tashkent,
December 21, 1995

Comments:
This is an unofficial translation. This Law was amended by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan On Alterations and Amendments to the Law on "Official Language of the Republic of Uzbekistan", 21 December 1995. This Decree and the Resolution of the Olij Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Procedure to put the new Wording of Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Official Language" in force, 21 December 1995, are attached hereto.
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