Deputy governor and lawyer arrested for bribery in Samarkand

In the Urgut district of Samarkand region, a deputy governor was caught accepting a $2,500 bribe, the State Security Service reported.

According to the authorities, a criminal case had previously been initiated by the prosecutor’s office under Article 167 of the Criminal Code (embezzlement or misappropriation) concerning a 61 million soum deficit identified in the district’s medical association.

During a local neighborhood citizens’ meeting, the deputy governor demanded $2,500 to use his influence to resolve the matter favorably for one of the individuals involved in the criminal case. He was apprehended by law enforcement while receiving the money.

Further investigation revealed that the deputy governor intended to pass the money to a local lawyer. The lawyer was also caught in possession of the bribe, with physical evidence confirming the transaction. The lawyer had promised to terminate the criminal case for the suspect under Article 84 of the Criminal Procedure Code using his official connections.

Currently, both the deputy governor and the lawyer face charges under Articles 168 (fraud) and 28, 211 (bribery) of the Criminal Code. Records indicate that the deputy governor had previously been convicted under Article 167, while the lawyer had a prior conviction under Article 168.

Earlier, in Khorezm region, a preventive inspector was also caught taking a bribe during a similar operation.