Officials Detained in Jizzak and Karakalpakstan for Bribes

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Authorities in Jizzak region and the Republic of Karakalpakstan have detained government officials for accepting bribes related to illegal land allocations. Criminal cases have been initiated under Article 168 of the Criminal Code.

In Jizzak, a senior specialist at the Zarbdor District hokimiat was caught with evidence of receiving 20 million UZS for registering four sotoks of state land in the name of a citizen born in 1983. The scheme involved leveraging contacts in the cadastral system and conducting an auction.

In Karakalpakstan, a senior specialist at the Khojayil District hokimiat and the head of the veterinary and livestock development department were detained for accepting USD 3,000 to illegally register 41.6 hectares of land in the name of a local entrepreneur. The land, intended for the district’s farming operations, had not been returned to state reserves or offered at auction.

Investigative authorities continue to work to establish all circumstances of the crimes and bring the offenders to justice.