Trial of former minister Aziz Voitov held behind closed doors to prevent social pressure

On September 19, a press conference was held at the Agency for Information and Mass Communications (AIMC) with officials from the Judiciary Supreme Council. A question was raised regarding the closed nature of the trial against former Agriculture Minister Aziz Voitov. According to Tursunali Akbarov, the decision about journalists' participation in the court session was made after considering the opinions of the parties involved.

“The trial concerning the former agriculture minister and 49 other defendants initially began as an open court session, with journalists participating. A decision was made regarding the participation of journalists based on the opinions of the parties involved. The initial decision did not prohibit journalists from attending. However, it was stated that the use of recording devices—video, photo, and audio—would only be allowed with the approval of the presiding judge. This is also provided for by law.

According to the requirements of the Criminal Procedure Code, when covering the process for the public and ensuring transparency, the opinions of the parties must be considered. Some defendants and their lawyers expressed their objections to the recording of the proceedings, leading to the imposition of a ban. As for the closed nature of the court, a request was submitted by one of the defendants' lawyers for the trial to be held behind closed doors, excluding journalists. This was also discussed among the parties. The decision to conduct the trial behind closed doors was made to prevent any potential influence on the case or social pressure arising from various significant information that might leak during the proceedings.

Discontented parties can appeal to a higher court regarding this decision. This is a procedural action by the judge, and the Judiciary Supreme Council does not have the authority to assess it.

It should be noted that this case is not solely about the former minister; there are 50 defendants. They are not all advocating for an open trial. If there is discontent regarding this decision, a procedural complaint can be filed with the higher court regarding the general decision,” stated the representative of the Judiciary Supreme Council, as quoted by Kun.uz.

On September 5, an open court trial regarding the criminal case against former Agriculture Minister Aziz Voitov and others (a total of 50 people) began at the Yunusabad District Court building.

Initially, journalists were allowed to take photos and videos during the trial, but later, the entire court session was prohibited from being covered. The Anti-Corruption Agency stated that it is advisable for the court sessions to be held openly in this case.