Employee of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Higher Education Detained for Receiving US$100,000 Bribe

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — An employee of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of Uzbekistan was detained while receiving US$100,000, the State Security Service reported.

According to the authorities, a senior specialist in the ministry’s department for licensing educational institutions demanded the sum from an official of a prestigious private university in the city of Karshi. In return for the payment, he promised to expedite the issuance of a license for opening a branch of the university in Surkhandarya region.

During an operative action conducted by the State Security Service’s Kashkadarya regional department in Tashkent, the suspect was caught in the act while receiving the requested funds.

A criminal case has been initiated under Article 168, Part 4, Paragraph “a” of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (fraud). The suspect has been placed in pre-trial detention.

Investigations are ongoing. Citizens are urged to report similar offenses via the State Security Service hotline at 1520. Confidentiality of informants is guaranteed.