Young man sentenced to prison for insulting President Mirziyoyev on Instagram

A 20-year-old man from Samarkand has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison for insulting the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, on his Instagram page. QALAMPIR.UZ reviewed the court verdict.

According to court documents from the Samarkand Regional Court, in February 2023, the young man, born in 2004 in the Ishtikhan district, posted a video on Instagram insulting the President’s family. The video showed him holding a phone displaying the words “to your son … Sh.M. Mirziyoyev.” In October 2023, he was convicted and sentenced to two years and six months in prison. The young man appealed the verdict, expressing dissatisfaction with the decision.

In his appeal, the convicted individual requested a non-custodial sentence, citing his circumstances — including his age, marital status, and being the sole breadwinner of his family — and expressing sincere remorse for his actions. He also formally admitted his guilt during the appeal hearing.

Furthermore, he requested a reduced sentence under Article 57 of the Criminal Code, which allows for the imposition of a lighter sentence.

The Samarkand Regional Court reviewed the appeal and determined that there were no grounds to overturn or amend the original verdict. Consequently, the court rejected the appeal, citing that the reasons provided did not justify changing the previous decisions.

Therefore, the verdict of the Kattakurgan District Court dated October 26, 2023, and the ruling of the cassation instance of the Samarkand Regional Court dated August 22, 2024, were upheld. The young man was ordered to serve two years and six months in prison under Part 3 of Article 158 of the Criminal Code, which covers attacks on the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.