“Xalqparvar Guruhi” journalist sentenced to four years in prison

In Uzbekistan, a journalist from “Xalqparvar Guruhi” has been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. The information was reported by the official Telegram channel of the Fergana regional courts.

According to the report, by a verdict announced today, January 20, by the Margilan City Criminal Court, E.T., born in 1990, who previously worked as a correspondent for “AK XALQPARVAR GURUHI” LLC (“ANTIKORRUPSIYA” media outlet) and had a prior conviction, was found guilty of committing crimes under several articles of the Criminal Code. These include Article 139 (defamation), part 3, clause “g”; Article 140 (insult), part 3, clause “a”; Article 165 (extortion), part 1; Article 219 (resistance to a representative of authority or a person performing a civic duty), part 1; Article 227 (unlawful acquisition, destruction, damage, or concealment of documents, stamps, seals, forms, as well as state license plates of motor vehicles and their trailers), part 2, clause “a”; and Article 244-6 (dissemination of false information), part 1.

E.T. was sentenced to three years and 10 months under Articles 59 and 61 of the Criminal Code. In accordance with Articles 60 and 61, the court revoked his previously granted early conditional release and imposed a final sentence of four years’ imprisonment.

The court ruled that the sentence is to be served in a high-security penal colony.

“The parties have the right to file an appeal or cassation complaint against the verdict of the court of first instance, as well as to submit a protest to the criminal panel of the Fergana Regional Court within the time limits and in accordance with the procedure established by law,” the statement said.

It should be recalled that on January 16, four employees of the website Taftish.uz were detained on suspicion of extortion and fraud.

G‘ayrat Aberayev, born in 1988, as well as Taftish.uz media outlet employees Azizjon Yuldashev (born in 1992), Sardor Hamidov (born in 2000), Marjona Eshquvvatova (born in 2006), and Dilshod Nishonov (born in 1998), were detained in accordance with procedural requirements on suspicion of committing crimes under Article 165 (extortion) and Article 168 (fraud) of the Criminal Code.

At present, their possible involvement in additional offenses under Article 139 (defamation) and Article 244-6 (dissemination of false information) of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan is also being examined.