The Minister of Justice commented on the doctor who received a bribe of 500,000 soms

Minister of Justice Akbar Tashkulov commented on what he said at a meeting with media representatives on 28 March this year, saying that some internet publications and social network users misinterpreted his words.

The fact is that Tashkulov answered a question in a conversation with journalists and explained why a doctor who took a bribe of 500 thousand soms will be imprisoned for 5 years, and a governor who looted state property will be imprisoned for only 3 years.  For example, one doctor said, “I won’t operate unless you bring 100,000 soms”, he said that the consequences would be higher and the impact on society would be greater.

His comment was the cause of many objections.

Yesterday, on 31 March, the minister wrote on his Facebook page that the above statement was misinterpreted.  In it, Tashkulov stated that in his answer to the journalist’s question, he did not focus on the exact court verdict, but on the criteria that is the basis for determining punishments in the law.  In particular, he noted that he explained with a real example why the punishment for bribery (regardless of the amount) is high.

According to Akbar Tashkulov, the first crime given by the journalist as an example, that is, embezzlement or robbery by means of a large amount, according to part 3 of Article 167 of the Criminal Code, the amount of the basic calculation may result in a fine from 300 to 600 times or imprisonment for up to 3 years or imprisonment for up to 5 to 10 years.  In this case, the punishment of restriction of liberty or deprivation of liberty may not be applied when the damage caused is compensated.  In the second case, i.e., taking a bribe by bribery, part 2 of Article 210 of the Criminal Code is punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 10 years.

In this case, the minister claimed that some social network users were spreading false information from the context of the interview.

“Unfortunately, some internet publications and social media users omitted the part of the journalist’s question about the punishment specified in the law and said, “Why did the minister comment on why the doctor who took a bribe of 500,000 soms was imprisoned for 5 years and the governor who robbed the state money was imprisoned for 1 year?”  are spreading misinformation (taken out of context) with the topic,” he wrote.

Tashkulov also posted a video of the conversation on that day on his page.