New regulations that restrict the sale of alcohol in Uzbekistan took effect from 1 May. Under the new regulations, alcoholic products can only be sold by those who have a special license from a local administrative department.

Alcohol cannot be sold within 500 meters of religious facilities, schools and kindergartens.

The new regulations also ban the sale of alcoholic products in public places including airports, railway stations, bus stops, subways, health care centers, sports and therapeutic facilities.

Anyone who violates the regulations will be fined and faces other penalties.

In March, Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov promulgated the new regulations in a bid to improve the health of people in the country and prevent the import, production and sale of low-quality or unlicensed products.