President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a law formalising the status and powers of Uzbekistan’s presidential administration, giving the body broad authority to coordinate and monitor state agencies. The move has been presented by officials as an institutional reform, but independent analysts and journalists say it further centralises power around Mirziyoyev and his daughter Saida Mirziyoyeva, who heads the administration.
The law was signed on 14 August after being approved by parliament on 7 August. The legislation was drafted behind closed doors and passed through the full law-making process in about ten days without public discussion.
The presidential administration was established in 2018 to provide organisational, analytical and control support to the president. The new law puts its existing functions on a formal legal basis while providing a more detailed framework for its powers.
Under the legislation, the administration can coordinate and monitor state bodies, issue mandatory instructions and assess the performance of officials. It will also coordinate compliance and internal anti-corruption units across government agencies.
The law also provides broad guarantees for senior administration officials, including immunity from prosecution, diplomatic passports and protections after leaving office. Journalist and blogger Ilyos Safarov said the guarantees could be intended to ensure the loyalty of the president’s inner circle.
Government officials have defended the legislation as a necessary institutional measure. Presidential spokesman Sherzod Asadov said it would bring domestic law into line with international practice and address a previous legal gap in the administration’s relationship with government bodies. Senate committee chief Abdulhakim Eshmurodov said the law would provide “legal certainty” for powers that had previously been regulated mainly by subordinate acts.
The law has attracted little public debate inside Uzbekistan. State and private media largely limited their coverage to factual reporting, while activists and journalists have reportedly been cautious about publicly criticising the legislation. Some critical comments were deleted from social media, according to BBC Uzbek.
Analysts have focused in particular on the increased influence of Saida Mirziyoyeva. The head of the presidential administration will also serve as deputy chairperson of the Security Council under the president and will oversee anti-corruption compliance structures. Political scientist Alisher Ilhamov argued that these provisions could give Mirziyoyeva significant influence over law enforcement and security institutions. The Telegram channel Aziatskiy Ekspress said the law could increase her political weight and strengthen her position in a future transfer of power.
The new legislation therefore formally institutionalises the presidential administration’s role while potentially expanding the political influence of Saida Mirziyoyeva. Critics warn that the concentration of coordination, oversight and personnel powers in the administration could further weaken checks and balances within Uzbekistan’s political system.
