Enforcement of Administrative Liability for Unlawful IMEI Modification and Copying
President signs law imposing fines for illegal change of IMEI code
On January 19, the President of the country signed a new law that imposes fines for the illegal change of the International Unique Identification Code (IMEI) of a mobile device or the identification module of a subscriber device. The law includes amendments and additions to the Criminal, Criminal-Procedural and Administrative Responsibility Codes.
According to the new article (Article 155-3) added to the Administrative Responsibility Code, individuals who change the IMEI code without the permission of the manufacturer, as well as those who develop, distribute, or use special programs for this purpose, will face fines ranging from 15 BCAs (5.1 million soums) to 20 BCAs (6.8 million soums). Similarly, individuals who change or make a copy of the identification module of the subscriber’s device without the permission of the legal manufacturer or its legal owner will also be fined up to 20 BCAs.
In addition to the fines, those who commit these violations will have their devices confiscated as well. The implementation of these changes will take place three months after the date of entry into force of the law.
The new law aims to crack down on illegal activities related to the modification of mobile device identification codes and to protect the rights of manufacturers and legal owners. It serves as a warning to individuals who engage in such activities and emphasizes the consequences they will face if they violate the law.
Overall, the signing of this law highlights the government’s commitment to regulating and monitoring the use of mobile devices and subscriber devices to prevent unauthorized changes that may lead to fraudulent activities.
