Trial begins over police abuse case that shocked Fergana region

Court proceedings have begun in the case of Gulirano Qosimova, a woman who was reportedly humiliated by police officers in Fergana. The criminal case against former head of the Furqat district police department (DIA) Akmal Khojayev and his first deputy, Jasur Rasulov, is being reviewed by the Kuva District Criminal Court. A Kun.uz reporter attended the hearing and prepared a report.

The hearing took place on October 8 at the Kuva District Criminal Court, chaired by Judge Avazbek Rahimov. Audio and video recording were not permitted during the open session.

At the hearing, Kuva District Prosecutor’s Senior Assistant Ayubkhon Umaraliyev read out the indictment, and the victim’s testimony was heard.

After the session, Gulirano Qosimova and her defense lawyer, Abduqahhor Mahmudov, spoke to Kun.uz.

Qosimova said she expects justice from the court and added that she would not wish the ordeal she went through on anyone – not even an enemy. According to her, she had previously appealed to the head of the Fergana Regional Police Department about the incident, but no action was taken.

“I expect only justice from the court. After all I went through, I kept asking myself whether a woman in our society could be humiliated to such an extent. Alhamdulillah, I felt that there is still justice for women in Uzbekistan. Our Parliament and Senate paid attention to my case, and I sincerely thank everyone who was not indifferent to what happened.

“I am fighting only for justice. I want no woman to cry out in despair over injustice, to pray to God in tears at night, to be shamed, or to see her family destroyed.

“Why did I appeal to the public? Why did I show my face? Because I believe that justice will prevail in our country – I still have that hope. I want these court proceedings to be fair. Since the trial is ongoing, I am not disclosing much evidence for now, but after the verdict, I will present every single piece of evidence to the public.

“After the incident, I made numerous trips to Tashkent in search of justice. I couldn’t meet the Prosecutor General, though I tried. I also contacted the head of the Internal Affairs Directorate, but nothing changed. I want to thank the Kun.uz editorial team. Thanks to their video report, my plea has finally been heard by everyone,” said Gulirano Qosimova.

Her lawyer, Abduqahhor Mahmudov, also expressed confidence that the court would deliver a fair verdict.

“As a result of unlawful actions by police officers against victims Gulirano Qosimova and Qurbonali Abdurahmonov, a criminal case was initiated and investigated by the prosecutor’s office. The investigation has been completed, and the case against the former head and first deputy head of the Furqat district DIA has been referred to court. The trial has now begun.

“We trust in fair justice. A fair court will issue a just ruling and announce it publicly. It was agreed to hold open hearings, and public monitoring is allowed. We are expecting a fair judgment. We believe that the rule of law in Uzbekistan will prevail and that justice will be served,” he said.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for October 15.

Earlier, Kun.uz had published an investigative report about the incident involving Gulirano Qosimova, a former school principal in the Furqat district. According to the report, district police officers beat her, tore her clothes, and filmed her while she was naked. The incident was taken under control by the Senate Committee. The Ombudsman later reported that four officials from the Furqat district police department had been exempted from criminal liability, calling for a full and impartial investigation into the actions of everyone involved in the case.