Corruption Cases Involving Local Officials Uncovered in Surkhandarya and Namangan Regions

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In Surkhandarya and Namangan regions, cases of corruption and other illegal activities involving local government officials have been uncovered.

In Surkhandarya, the deputy hokim of Jarqurghan district, abusing his official position, demanded 90 million soums in exchange for leasing nine hectares of land, held in the hokimiyat’s reserve, to a resident of Sherabad district for growing melons and other crops for a period of four months. In January of this year, the official received 30 million soums.

During an operational action conducted by the State Security Service in cooperation with the Department under the General Prosecutor’s Office, he was caught in the act while receiving the remaining 60 million soums at a public catering facility in Termez city.

A criminal case has been initiated against the official under Part 1 of Article 210 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. He has been placed in pre-trial detention, and investigative actions are ongoing.

In Namangan region, an assistant to the hokim of a mahalla council in Chust district, in 2022, demanded US$23,000 to facilitate the registration of 20 sotkas (0.2 hectares) of land—part of a 43-sotka plot previously allocated to his relative within the Sadacha small industrial zone for entrepreneurial activity—through acquaintances in government authorities, on behalf of a citizen born in 1982.

However, when he received an advance payment of US$10,000, his illegal actions were intercepted by officers from the State Security Service and the Department for Combating Economic Crimes.

A criminal case has been opened against this individual under Article 25 and Part 4, Article 168, Clause “a” of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Investigative measures are ongoing.