Perpetrators of the Sergeli explosion were sentenced

On September 28, 2023, a devastating explosion occurred at a warehouse in Tashkent's Sergeli district, causing significant destruction.

The explosion ravaged 15,000 square meters, damaged nearby homes, killed one person, and injured 163 others. Following the incident, authorities launched a criminal investigation. Four individuals were detained, and one person was released on bail as part of the case.

Today, October 11, the Mirabad District Court in Tashkent delivered the verdict for those found guilty of the explosion.

The court found S.F., A.F., B.S., and N.K. guilty under sections "a" and "b" of Article 259 of Uzbekistan's Criminal Code. They were sentenced to five years in prison and barred from holding management and fire safety roles for two years. Their prison term will be served in a penal colony, effective from September 29, 2023. The previous "detention" orders placed on the defendants were adjusted accordingly.

The explosion caused extensive damage, including harm to 592 apartments across 26 high-rise buildings, 8 service offices, 1 school, 2 preschools, and numerous vehicles. The facades and windows of buildings were also affected. The question of who would bear the costs of this damage was addressed in court.

The court approved the claims submitted by "S.S" LLC, "A-O" LLC, and "A.S" LLC, recognized as civil plaintiffs and victims in the case. The court ruled that the convicted individuals—S.F., A.F., B.S., N.K., and A.A.—along with the companies "Interlogistics" LLC and "Polychem" LLC, are jointly liable for the damages.

The total damage caused by the explosion amounted to 282 billion soums.

Several government bodies, including the Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement under the General Prosecutor's Office of Uzbekistan, the Tashkent City Administration, the Tashkent City Internal Affairs General Department, and the Tashkent City Road Traffic Safety Administration, were tasked with impounding vehicles involved in the incident. The Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement was also assigned to assess the real estate and vehicles confiscated during the investigation.

The Tashkent City Chamber of State Cadastres, the Compulsory Enforcement Bureau, the State Services Center, and the Road Traffic Safety Department were entrusted with executing the court's decision.

Appeals against the verdict must be filed with the Tashkent City Court within ten days of the sentence's announcement, or from the date when the defendant or victim receives a copy of the sentence. Once the sentence becomes final, it can be contested further through cassation.