Health concerns over Mubashshir Ahmad, teachers treated as day laborers, first bribe-taker of the New Year – Weekly analysis

Concerns have been raised over the health of imprisoned religious scholar and blogger Mubashshir Ahmad. The Ombudsman, however, stated that he has no complaints about his detention or working conditions. Those who illegally sent nearly 20,000 people on the Umrah pilgrimage were detained. An individual who insulted the Prophet was jailed for 12 days. A woman in Samarkand abandoned her newborn baby in a toilet trash bin. Who will return the funds withdrawn from Humans? The Central Bank commented. Details of these and other developments are covered in the latest edition of the Weekly Events analysis.

Is Mubashshir Ahmad in critical condition in prison?

Lawyer Abdulloh Sodiq, representing religious scholar and blogger Mubashshir Ahmad (Alisher Tursunov), founder of the Azon Global information and analytical portal, reported that his client is being held in harsh conditions at Penal Colony No. 5 in Navoi despite serious health problems.

According to him, when lawyers met Tursunov on November 26, 2025, it became known that the inmate had experienced repeated spikes in blood pressure, that his kidneys were not functioning properly due to diabetes, that his legs were severely swollen, and that other accompanying illnesses posed a serious threat to his health and life.

Moreover, these facts were also confirmed in a letter signed by Mamatnazarov, head of Penal Colony No. 5, sent in response to an official inquiry from the lawyers. The letter stated that since November 5, the inmate had been receiving treatment for type II diabetes, left leg arthrosis, upper respiratory tract catarrh, panaritium of the first toe on the right foot, insulin-dependent type II diabetes, and ischemic heart disease.

However, when lawyers met Mubashshir Ahmad again on December 26, he said that he had not received any of the treatments listed in the letter, that he had only undergone medical examinations, had not been hospitalized, had not been provided with medication, and was not even allowed basic rest.

Despite this, when the lawyers approached the Department for the Execution of Sentences under the Ministry of Internal Affairs on two occasions, the deputy head of the department and the head of its medical service allegedly provided inaccurate information, stating that the inmate had received treatment at the medical unit several times, was currently undergoing treatment, was in good health, and therefore was being sent to work.

In addition, the lawyer said that during his sentence, Tursunov was being forcibly sent to work at one of the brick factories located in Qiziltepa district, where he was made to stand and work for up to 16 hours a day. Despite severe swelling in his legs and wounds on his feet darkening and progressing toward gangrene, his condition described as critical, he was allegedly denied treatment and instead forced to work.

It was also reported that under the law, on March 11, 2026, he will have served one-third of his sentence and should be transferred to a settlement colony. However, he fears that various forms of pressure may be applied, minor violations fabricated, and the transfer deliberately delayed.

After the conditions of Mubashshir Ahmad’s detention sparked public discussion, the regional representative of the Ombudsman for Human Rights in Navoi region visited the colony and conducted an inspection.

According to the Ombudsman’s report, during a meeting with the inmate, he stated that he had no complaints about the medical assistance provided in the colony, that he regularly underwent full medical examinations, and that although there had been some changes in his health due to pre-existing conditions, he was receiving appropriate medical care.

It was also reported that the inmate was involved in labor voluntarily, was working in the kitchen, was not engaged in work beyond legally established hours, and that working conditions complied with labor protection requirements.

Following the Ombudsman’s statement, neither Mubashshir Ahmad’s relatives nor his lawyer issued any response.

For reference, on October 8, 2025, by a verdict of the Uchtepa District Criminal Court, Mubashshir Ahmad was found guilty under Article 156, Part 2 (incitement of national, racial, ethnic or religious hatred), Article 244-1, Part 3, paragraph “g” (preparation, storage, distribution or display of materials posing a threat to public security and order), and Article 244-3 (illegal preparation, storage, import or distribution of religious materials) of the Criminal Code. Applying Article 57 (imposition of a lighter sentence), and in accordance with Articles 59 and 61, he was sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment, to be served in a general-regime colony.

Man who insulted the Prophet jailed for 12 days

Reports that an unknown individual had insulted the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on social media spread widely and sparked public debate.

It was established that on December 30, 2025, an individual born in 2004 disseminated information promoting religious hatred in the comment section of a Telegram channel via his personal social media profile.

During the pre-investigation review, the individual’s actions were given a legal assessment, an administrative protocol was drawn up under Article 184³ of the Administrative Liability Code, and the case was sent to court.

By a decision of the Pakhtachi District Criminal Court, the individual was sentenced to 12 days of administrative detention.

Individual who sent 20,000 people on Umrah detained

In Uzbekistan, those who illegally sent 19,547 citizens on the Umrah pilgrimage have been detained. Over a two-year period, they collected $22,846,590 in cash from citizens.

According to investigators, a woman born in 1984 in Andijan region acted as an unofficial tour agent at Jalolquduq Aviatrans LLC and organized illegal Umrah trips involving 19,547 people.

Between 2024 and 2025, Jalolquduq Aviatrans LLC collected $22,846,590 in cash. The total damage to state and public interests amounted to 1,819,974,385 soums, while unpaid taxes and other mandatory payments totaled 15,363,219,026 soums. A total of 534 citizens who had been sent to Saudi Arabia and left in difficult conditions without proper support were returned to Uzbekistan via special flights.

The Investigation Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs opened criminal cases against 14 individuals under relevant articles of the Criminal Code, and 13 suspects were detained.

Teachers as $1,000 day laborers

I have said this many times and will say it again: I am the child of a teacher. My mother served as a school principal for 18 years and never celebrated a single holiday at home with her family, not even Teachers’ Day. As for New Year’s celebrations, every year from September it was cotton harvesting, from October preparations for winter and staff headquarters, from November fighting pests, and from December until mid-January guarding the school from external threats. In spring, summer, and autumn, teachers’ hands never left their brooms. They cleaned schoolyards until they shone, and were also assigned the “honorable” task of cleaning areas around major institutions and streets used by senior officials. All of this was done free of charge, without praise or benefit.

I am a teacher’s son who spent nights at school during holidays, shivering through the night, only to be scolded by my father the next morning before returning to work and classes. I am the son of a school principal who was sent to repair and clean an apartment building entrance as a laborer following residents’ complaints to the authorities. I am the unspoken cry of teachers forced into weeks of manual labor at major construction sites in Tashkent, at Hazrati Imam, and at the Palace of International Forums. I saw it with my own eyes. I held the rags alongside my mother. My hands bear the marks of those buildings.

I used to think such practices no longer existed. But they do. I was shocked. All the talk of reform, it seems, ends when it comes to teachers.

Videos circulated on social media showing teachers at School No. 37 in Buvayda district of Fergana region being forced to remain on duty around the clock. In the footage, teachers say they are standing watch on orders from above.

After the video sparked public debate, responsibility was placed on the school principal. Regional education authorities claimed the initiative came from the principal, who was blamed for forcing night duty and subsequently dismissed.

However, the situation did not end there. It later emerged that the directive came from higher authorities. Reports suggest that round-the-clock duty was organized not only at School No. 37, but across schools and preschool institutions nationwide. A copy of a letter signed by Mamadiyev, head of the Surkhandarya Regional Department of Preschool and School Education, circulated online. Addressed to city and district education departments and all subordinate institutions, it instructed them to organize continuous 24-hour duty and regional headquarters from December 26, 2025 to January 6, 2026, citing implementation of a letter from the Ministry dated December 23, 2025.

QALAMPIR.UZ does not have access to the Ministry’s letter or details on what it states regarding duty schedules and headquarters.

The regional directive also references Clause 28 of a Cabinet of Ministers resolution dated December 20, 2025, on preparations for New Year celebrations and ensuring public safety. This suggests that the primary initiator of forcing teachers onto duty was the Cabinet of Ministers itself. In this situation, school principals appear to be scapegoats, while ministry and regional officials merely serve as intermediaries. However, the Cabinet resolution in question could not be found on the government’s website or in the national legal database.

Despite widespread discussion indicating involvement of the Ministry and the Cabinet, both remain silent, acting as if nothing happened. No official expressed solidarity with teachers. The Ministry of Poverty Reduction and Employment, the main body responsible for investigating forced labor, has also remained silent, either having forgotten its duties or not yet received instructions to examine the issue.

It is worth recalling that on March 13–14, 2018, teachers and technical staff from 98 schools and 12 vocational colleges in Kattakurgan district of Samarkand region were illegally mobilized to carry out beautification work along a 14-kilometer stretch of the M-37 Samarkand–Bukhara highway. During those works, a KamAZ truck struck Diana Aleksandrovna Yenikeeva, a teacher at School No. 42, who later died from severe injuries. Public outrage followed, and a campaign against forced labor of teachers began. Although isolated cases continued, they were not initiated from the highest levels, and then-Minister Shermatov personally took control of the issue, repeatedly reminding teachers of their rights.

So what has changed now? Must another teacher die during forced labor, leaving children orphaned, for reforms to continue and for teachers’ rights to be restored, so that they are no longer treated as unpaid laborers?

Uchtepa district administration official caught taking $3,000

As you may recall, in his address to the chambers of the Oliy Majlis at the end of 2025, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated that 2026 would be an extraordinary year in the fight against corruption. He announced the introduction of deputy positions responsible for compliance and internal anti-corruption control in all state bodies, stressing that anyone obstructing the work of compliance services would be regarded as an accomplice to corruption and held accountable. The name of the first corruption offender of the year has now emerged. More precisely, while corruption remains widespread, the first high-profile case has already drawn public attention.

During a special operation conducted jointly by officers of the Tashkent City Department of the State Security Service and the Main Department of Internal Affairs of the capital, a chief specialist of the Housing and Communal Services and Beautification Department of the Uchtepa district administration was detained while illegally receiving $3,000 from an entrepreneur. The suspect was caught with material evidence at the scene.

According to reports, the official claimed that a list was allegedly being prepared of commercial shops and other facilities subject to demolition in Uchtepa district this year. Using this pretext, he demanded money from the entrepreneur in exchange for ensuring that the entrepreneur’s shop would not be included in the list and would not be demolished, allegedly through his close connections with senior officials in the district administration.

It was reported that a criminal case has been opened against the chief specialist under Article 168, Part 3, paragraph “v” (fraud), and Articles 28 and 211, Part 1 (bribery) of the Criminal Code. A preventive measure of detention has been applied, and investigative actions are underway.

Woman abandons newborn in trash bin

In the Payariq district of Samarkand region, a woman gave birth near a maternity hospital and abandoned her newborn baby in a toilet trash bin.

According to authorities, the incident occurred on December 27 last year at a maternity hospital in Payariq district. After the infant was discovered, it was determined that the baby was not breathing and was found dead. However, it remains unclear whether the child was killed by the mother or whether the death occurred prior to birth.

The district police department reported that a forensic examination has been назначен. The examination will determine whether the baby was born alive or whether the fetus had died before delivery.

Law enforcement agencies told QALAMPIR.UZ that the child’s mother has been identified.

“As the forensic examination results have not yet been announced, the woman has not been detained procedurally at this stage. The issue of opening a criminal case and placing her under arrest will be decided after the expert conclusion is issued,” said a representative of the regional police information service.

QALAMPIR.UZ also contacted the press secretary of the Ministry of Health, Furqat Sanaev, to clarify the situation. The ministry’s representative said no information could be provided at this stage, noting that the prosecutor’s office is conducting an investigation and that doctors bear no responsibility in the incident.

According to unconfirmed reports, the woman, who had married four months earlier, arrived at the maternity hospital on December 27 accompanied by her mother-in-law, complaining of digestive problems. At the same time, she firmly refused to undergo a full medical examination. Her behavior raised concerns among doctors, who attempted to carry out an ultrasound examination, but she refused that as well.

The woman was then sent to a treatment room accompanied by a nurse, where she asked to be left alone. After some time, hospital staff discovered the body of a newborn baby in a trash bin.

The woman’s identity was quickly established using surveillance cameras. Initially, she denied any involvement, but subsequent medical examinations confirmed that she had given birth.

Man shoots friend while hunting, mistaking him for a wild boar

On October 5, 2025, in the Mirzacho‘l district of Jizzakh region, a 32-year-old man shot and killed his friend with a hunting rifle during a hunting trip.

A resident of Ishtikhon district in Samarkand region went hunting on October 5 with three acquaintances in the territory of a farm located in the Gulzor mahalla of Mirzacho‘l district.

At around 10:30 p.m. that day, they attempted to hunt a wild boar using a firearm. The 32-year-old man reportedly mistook his acquaintance emerging from the reeds for a wild boar and fired his weapon. The victim later died in hospital.

The case was heard on December 5, 2025, by the Mirzacho‘l District Criminal Court. During the hearing, the defendant fully admitted his guilt.

The victim’s father also testified in court, asking for leniency and requesting that the defendant be given a sentence not involving imprisonment.

The court found the defendant guilty under Article 102, Part 1 (causing death by negligence) of the Criminal Code. Under Article 45 (deprivation of certain rights), he was banned from hunting for one year and sentenced to one year and six months of corrective labor, with 20 percent of his wages deducted in favor of the state.

Who will return the money taken from Humans users?

As a reminder, on December 8–9 last year, funds were withdrawn en masse from cards linked to the Humans application. One day later, on December 10, it was reported that the Tashkent Interdistrict Economic Court, based on an application from Octobank, had declared Humans bankrupt and initiated liquidation proceedings without suspending its operations. However, although the court decision declaring Humans bankrupt was adopted on October 14, the public was not informed about it for two months.

According to court documents, in June of this year Octobank announced that it had disconnected Humans’ financial services from its system. From June 13, servicing of Visa partner cards was also suspended. The bank filed a lawsuit seeking to recover more than 500 billion soums in debt from Humans and to compensate for damages.

Humans commented on the situation, stating that the funds were withdrawn by fraudsters between December 4 and 8. The company claimed it was not at fault and that the problem arose due to a technical error in the Paylov service. Paylov, in turn, rejected this claim, stating that the fraudulent transactions were carried out directly by Humans.

For more than a month now, the public has been troubled by several unanswered questions. Why was information about the court decision not disclosed in a timely manner? What is the total amount of funds withdrawn through fraud, and when and how will they be returned to their owners? Why has the Central Bank, as the main coordinating body, not assumed full responsibility for addressing the situation?

The Central Bank addressed these concerns in the past week.

According to its statement, a working group was established at Octagram JSC, the Paylov payment organization that provided payment services to Humans LLC, based on a relevant order of the Central Bank, and an inspection was conducted.

“Based on the results of the inspection, the report has been submitted in the prescribed manner to the Tashkent City Main Department of Internal Affairs for legal assessment and for taking measures within its authority. At present, the situation related to Humans is being examined by the Tashkent City Main Department of Internal Affairs in accordance with established legal procedures. Citizens are requested to apply to law enforcement agencies regarding this matter,” the Central Bank said in its statement.