It is one of the banes of existence for urban dwellers.

Noise.

Some Central Asian states are so fed up with it, they are doing something to fight back against the excessive and/or the unpleasant din.

Early nights in Kyrgyzstan

A regional campaign that started in Kyrgyzstan in the autumn of last year was not specifically aimed at annoying clamour. Kyrgyz authorities were in fact attempting to save electricity and one measure instituted toward their goal was closing down late-night establishments such as bars, nightclubs and restaurants at 22:00.

The pretext for ordering the early end to opening hours was that the “Law on silence” was being violated.

However, in May this year, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signed amendments to the Law in question. The amendments dealt specifically with residential areas and apartment complexes. Quiet time runs from 22:00 to 7:00 on workdays and 22:00 to 9:00 on weekends.

People who feel that their neighbours are not respecting the law, or are exceptionally loud during daytime, are advised to make video recordings with the offending sounds, and if possible footage of the offenders. These can be used as evidence when filing a complaint with the police.

Loud televisions or stereos, fireworks or power tools used during quiet time are all violations. Curiously, there is no mention of screaming or loud arguments, though presumably they also constitute violations of the Law on Silence or amount to a disturbance of the peace.

According to Kyrgyzstan’s Legal Code, Article 82, individuals violating the Law on Silence face fines of up to 10,000 Kyrgyz som (around $143), while businesses can be fined up to the equivalent of 28,000 som (about $320).

Another amendment makes exceptions for New Year’s Eve and state holidays. On these days, it is permitted to make what qualifies as excessive noise between 22:00 and 3:00.

Quantifying noise in Uzbekistan

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law “On the Protection of the Population from the Harmful Effects of Noise” on September 9.

The law refers to “established permissible levels” of noise in residential areas, in public buildings and parks, at construction sites and on various types of transportation, both private and public.

Souped-up cars with "rude" sound systems are one headache officials want to see go away (Credit: AI-generated, Tengri News).

The noise levels are difficult to quantify. The law only states that acceptable levels are those that “do not cause significant anxiety in a person and do not lead to serious changes in the body.”

Uzbekistan’s Sanitary and Epidemiological Committee will determine what levels “cause significant anxiety in a person “or “lead to serious changes in the body.”

There seems to be a rather a big grey area here, but the “quiet time” is made clearer. It is in effect from 23:00 to 7:00 on workdays and 22:00 to 9:00 on weekends and holidays.

Construction or repair work can only be conducted from 9:00 to 18:00 on regular workdays.

Fines for violations are set between 1.32mn and 3.08mn Uzbek som  ($112 to $261). Noise victims can also seek compensation in court for damage to their health or property.

Emergency vehicles, national holiday celebrations, sports events and some religious ceremonies are exempted from the law.

Kazakhstan frowns on screeching tyres, profanity

Authorities in Kazakhstan are also cracking down on violators of acceptable noise levels, but it is the sounds coming from cars that are receiving special scrutiny.

One local news report noted that since the start of 2026, police had responded to some 79,000 complaints about an offensive racket, with that response rate marking a 13% increase year on year. But the primary targets of discussions on offensive noise during this month have been vehicles and profanity in public, most especially combinations of the two.

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov spoke on September 22 about cars and motorcycles driven at night. Bektenov asked Interior Minister Yerzhan Sedenov what steps were being taken to curb the commotion of screeching tyres and revving engines piercing the calm of night.

“Quiet time” in Kazakhstan is from 22:00 to 9:00 on workdays and 23:00 to 10:00 on weekends and holidays.

Sedenov said 372 “automotive” cases had been registered in the year to date, with 55 arrests made and fines handed out to the other culprits.

Kazakh PM Olzhas Bektenov, pictured at the head of the table chairing a government meeting, wants arrests, not fines (Credit: government handout).

Bektenov replied: “Fines are not needed, we need arrests” .

Sedenov promised to strengthen efforts to apprehend drivers breaking the nocturnal silence.

The next day, parliamentary deputy Kendibai Adambek joined the chorus of complaints. The excessive use of the car horn at any time of the day and drifting (Americans talk of “doing donuts”) are on the list of clatter that the Kazakh authorities want limited or eliminated.

“This problem has long since gone beyond the scope of ordinary traffic violations,” Adambek said, adding: “It poses a threat to public safety, flagrantly violating citizens' constitutional rights to rest, peace and quiet.”

He said the current fine of 21,625 Kazakhstani tenge ($49) was woefully insufficient to stop the problem.

The use of foul language in public is also coming under scrutiny. Swearing repeatedly beyond one’s private space or from a car with an open window are violations that can result in a fine.

This has been emphasised in recent comments. But a great amount of discussion right now is about playing loud music in a car with the windows open, particularly if the music includes profane lyrics.

Loud music emanating from a vehicle with an open window is already against the law. However, according to reports in Kazakh media, playing music with profanity in the lyrics in a car is not a violation if the windows are closed.

A foul word used only once in a song does not qualify as a violation. But intentionally playing loud music from a vehicle with open windows is against the law, though it is unclear who decides if the intent was to disrupt the harmony of people in the surrounding area.

These infractions can be qualified as minor hooliganism with fines of up to 86,500 Kazakhstani tenge ($193).

Media reports have mentioned that in Kazakhstan, as in Kyrgyzstan, citizens are encouraged to make videos with audio and visual recordings of violations for use as evidence when they file a complaint.

Central Asian refrain

Obnoxious and loud sounds are nothing new, and like it or not, they are part of life in areas where many people live.

It is interesting that three of the five Central Asian countries are suddenly paying more attention to the problem and are searching for ways to use the law to mitigate the effects of noise.

All five states of Central Asia are this year marking 35 years of independence. Their populations have all grown significantly and perhaps the collective din has finally crossed the line of public tolerance.

One thing seems certain, if the roused lawmakers have their way, it will be a bit quieter in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in the coming months and years.