Jizzakh district governor and Syrdarya deputy prosecutor caught taking bribes (video)

The governor of Sharof Rashidov district in the Jizzakh region and the deputy prosecutor of Gulistan city in Syrdarya region have been caught accepting bribes. The incidents were reported by the State Security Service of Uzbekistan.

In the first case, the chief specialist of the department for construction, communications, utilities, ecology, and landscaping in Sharof Rashidov district exploited the trust of a private construction company representative. He demanded \$30,000 in exchange for securing permission to construct eight multi-storey buildings on a 1.7-hectare land plot that had initially been allocated for a secondary school in the Tokchilik municipal district, based on an official decision by the district governor.

On July 5, the specialist received \$10,000 from the entrepreneur and passed it to the district governor. On July 8, he collected the remaining \$20,000 and handed the entrepreneur official documents approving the construction of the multi-storey buildings. Shortly after, while delivering another \$10,000 to the governor in front of the district administration building, the specialist was apprehended by officers of the State Security Service.

As a result, the governor of Sharof Rashidov district has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity. A criminal case has been launched against him under Article 210 (Bribery) of the Criminal Code, and against the chief specialist under Articles 168 (Fraud) and 211 (Bribery).

In the second case, in the Syrdarya region, the deputy prosecutor of Gulistan allegedly demanded \$10,000 from a suspect in an ongoing criminal investigation. The case, opened by the Boyavut District Internal Affairs Department, involved charges under Articles 168 (Fraud) and 167 (Embezzlement or Misappropriation) of the Criminal Code, and targeted the head of an agricultural LLC.

The deputy prosecutor reportedly promised to prevent the imposition of the preventive measure of “arrest” and to ensure a favorable outcome in the case. He was caught red-handed by the State Security Service while receiving the bribe in his office. A criminal case has been initiated against him under Articles 168 (Fraud) and 28,211 (Complicity in Bribery).

Both officials are currently under arrest as a precautionary measure, and investigations are ongoing.