4 judges who ordered Akmal Shukurov’s release arrested

Criminal cases have been opened against judges who were involved in the release of Akmal Shukurov, who had previously put a man into a coma with a single punch outside a nightclub in Tashkent. Shukurov was released following a ruling by the appellate court on December 9, 2025. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Uzbekistan reported the development.

According to the statement, the Prosecutor General’s Office initiated criminal proceedings against Murodjon Mirzajonov, who served as deputy chairman of the Tashkent City Court, under Article 231, Part 2 (issuing an unjust verdict, ruling, or decision) and Article 236, Part 2 (interference in an investigation or court proceedings) of the Criminal Code. Criminal cases were also opened under Article 231, Part 2 against former judges of the city criminal court Odilbek Ilhomjonov, Mirziyod Obidov, and Muhtarama Turgunova.

Case materials indicate that Akmal Shukurov was previously found guilty by the Mirzo Ulugbek District Criminal Court of committing large-scale fraud, hooliganism, and intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm. Under several articles of the Criminal Code, he was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison.

Disagreeing with the verdict, Shukurov filed an appeal, which was reviewed by appellate judges Odilbek Ilhomjonov, Mirziyod Obidov, and Muhtarama Turgunova. The panel decided to amend the first-instance court’s ruling by applying Article 57 of the Criminal Code and reducing the sentence to three years’ imprisonment.

However, the Prosecutor General’s Office stated that Murodjon Mirzajonov abused his official position by interfering in the judicial process, obstructing a comprehensive, complete, and impartial review of the case, and exerting unlawful influence on the judges. As a result, despite knowing that the instructions were illegal and despite being independent in administering justice, the judges failed to uphold the principle of the inevitability of punishment. They overturned the first-instance verdict, applied Article 57, revoked the custodial preventive measure, replaced the sentence with three years and three months of restriction of liberty, and released Shukurov from custody in the courtroom, issuing an unlawful and unjust ruling that led to serious consequences.

Based on these circumstances, former deputy chairman of the city court Murodjon Mirzajonov and former judges Odilbek Ilhomjonov, Mirziyod Obidov, and Muhtarama Turgunova have been charged as defendants in the criminal case. A preventive measure of detention has been applied against all four.

Preliminary investigative actions are currently being carried out by the Prosecutor General’s Office.

For reference, following a protest filed by the Tashkent City Prosecutor’s Office, the case involving Akmal Shukurov was reviewed by the supervisory instance of the city criminal court. The protest was upheld, the appellate ruling was annulled, and the first-instance verdict was amended. Shukurov was sentenced to five years and three months in prison, taken into custody in the courtroom, and the principle of the inevitability of punishment was enforced.