Bribery scandals uncovered in government, statistics and pension departments

The State Security Service of Uzbekistan has detained several officials from the government, statistics, and pension systems for corruption-related crimes. A video of the arrests was released by the agency.

According to the report, the deputy mayor of Khanabad city and the previously convicted head of a limited liability company involved in alcohol sales colluded to unlawfully allocate land. They arranged to auction 4 hectares of land from the government's reserve fund as a separate lot for a local entrepreneur, who intended to establish a mattress, professional flooring, and baby diaper factory. The land, valued at 2 billion soums, was registered in the entrepreneur’s name in exchange for a $20,000 bribe.

In another case, the former deputy mayor of Andijan district, the head of the Andijan city Statistics Department, and two other individuals were caught demanding $600,000 from an entrepreneur seeking to build a children’s product manufacturing facility. They received $150,000 in advance in exchange for assistance with the auction of 6 hectares of land in the Silk Road Free Economic Zone. The investigation also revealed that the former first deputy head of the Andijan Regional Department of the Committee for the Development of Competition and Consumer Rights Protection—currently heading a private employment agency—was involved in the scheme. He had allegedly received $11,000 earlier for helping facilitate the land allocation.

In the Tashkent region, the head of the Akhangaran District Department of the Off-Budget Pension Fund under the Ministry of Economy and Finance was caught red-handed accepting a $1,500 bribe. He had promised to restore a local citizen’s lost work book and assist in issuing an old-age pension. It was also revealed that this official had previously been convicted under Article 167 of the Criminal Code (embezzlement or misappropriation).

The State Security Service has launched criminal proceedings against all individuals involved, and a preventive detention measure has been applied. Investigative actions are currently ongoing.

It is worth recalling that earlier, the deputy mayor of Beruniy district in the Republic of Karakalpakstan was also arrested on bribery charges. Several other agency and inspection employees were detained in connection with the same case.