Former governor of Sharof Rashidov district sentenced to 11 years in prison

On February 24, a court verdict was announced against Mahmud Kholbutayev, the former governor of Sharof Rashidov district in the Jizzakh region, who was detained on July 8, 2025, on bribery charges. The information was provided by Supreme Court press secretary Aziz Obidov.

According to the verdict issued by the Zomin District Criminal Court, Kholbutayev (born in 1971 in Jizzakh region) was found guilty under several articles of the Criminal Code, including Article 167, Part 2 (b, c, d) (misappropriation or embezzlement), Article 206, Part 1 (abuse of power or official authority), Article 210, Part 3(a) (bribe-taking), and Article 229-4, Part 2(a) (violation of land allocation procedures). The court sentenced him to 11 years in prison, a fine amounting to 150 times the base calculation amount, and a three-year ban on holding positions of authority or material responsibility in government and administrative bodies.

In addition, N.I., a male born in 1987 in Jizzakh region who worked as chief specialist on construction, communications, public utilities, ecology, and landscaping issues at the district administration, was found guilty under Articles 28 and 210, Part 3(a) (complicity in bribe-taking). He was sentenced to seven years in prison and banned for two years from holding positions of authority or material responsibility in state and administrative bodies.

The convicts are to serve their prison terms in general-regime correctional colonies.

The parties have the right to file an appeal or cassation complaint against the first-instance verdict with the Criminal Court Panel of the Jizzakh Regional Court within the time limits established by law.

Kholbutayev was detained on July 8, 2025. Despite being in custody, it was later discovered that decisions had been issued in his name as governor. Five such decisions were uploaded to the E-qaror platform.

Among them was a July 8, 2025 decision by the district council allocating 42 million soums to improve the central street and purchase flags for Victory and Remembrance Day celebrations, and 70 million soums for roofing materials to repair multi-storey residential buildings. Another decision allocated 150 million soums to strengthen the district administration’s material and technical base, cover procurement debts, repair office equipment, and purchase хозяйственные supplies.

Further decisions dated July 9, 2025 allocated 100 million soums to strengthen the material and technical base of newly established family and women’s departments; 200 million soums for constructing an artificial-turf mini football field in the Toqchilik mahalla, Otchopar residential area; 400 million soums for current repairs of a cultural department building in Qulpizar mahalla; and 255 million soums for additional administrative and хозяйственные expenses.

For reference, Kholbutayev had previously faced criminal liability in 2012 on bribery charges. He served as governor of Dustlik district in Jizzakh region in 2004 and was appointed as a senator of the Oliy Majlis the same year.

In October 2019, he was appointed governor of Sharof Rashidov district. He was also awarded the “Dustlik” order on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence.