Uzbek court sentences blogger “Sherkhon” to four years in prison

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A court in Uzbekistan has sentenced Amon Yusupov, known online as “Sherkhon,” to four years in prison, finding him guilty under Part 3 of Article 158 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan — “Encroachment on the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.”

In February 2023, while in Kazakhstan, Yusupov went live on TikTok and made insulting remarks about the head of state. The video spread widely and provoked significant attention on social media.

Following the incident, the blogger remained abroad, residing in Turkey and Azerbaijan. In April 2025, he was detained in Azerbaijan by State Security Service officers during an operation.

During the trial, Yusupov admitted his guilt, publicly apologized, and expressed remorse. The court imposed a sentence of four years of imprisonment.

Previously, Yusupov had faced legal penalties for other offenses, but earlier measures had been more lenient.

The case has attracted broad public attention and serves as a reminder of the legal consequences for publicly insulting the head of state in the digital space.