Bribery is considered a crime in Uzbekistan, pursuant to Articles 210-213 of the Criminal Code dated 22 September 1994, as amended (the “Criminal Code”). Under the Criminal Code, only individuals, not legal entities, may be held criminally liable. But, while a legal entity cannot be criminally liable for activities constituting a crime under Uzbek law, its officers and employees may be held criminally liable for such illegal activities.
The Criminal Code provides that its rules apply to any person who has committed a crime in Uzbekistan. Thus, an officer or employee of a foreign company, or of the Uzbek representative office of a foreign company, may be held criminally liable if the bribery occurred within Uzbekistan.