Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  The Main Internal Affairs Directorate of Tashkent has refused to initiate a criminal case against blogger and financier Otabek Bakirov, following a complaint from Uzbekistan’s Minister of Energy, Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, Bakirov himself reported.
The minister’s complaint was based on a post Bakirov made on 5 June 2023, regarding frequent repairs at the Sagbon substation, which supplies electricity to the Almazar district of Tashkent and the Tashkent region.
The complaint was filed nearly a year and a half later, on 10 October 2024, shortly after Mirzamakhmudov participated in the "Lolazor" podcast, which Bakirov co-hosts.
According to the financier, an examination by the Agency for Information and Mass Communications, conducted as part of the investigation, found no evidence of insults or discrediting in the post. It was also noted that more than 1.5 years had passed since the publication.
Otabek Bakirov expressed his gratitude to the internal affairs officers for their prompt handling of the case and their actions in accordance with the law.