Deputy governors, assistants arrested on bribery charges in several regions

In one case, the deputy governor of the Khovos district in the Syrdarya region was sentenced to seven years in prison. The official had allegedly used his position to demand a $20,000 bribe from a company engaged in agricultural production and export, promising that their land allocation would remain under their control and receive irrigation support without interference. During an operation in May, he was detained with an initial payment of $1,000 in hand.

In another operation in Dehqonobod district, Kashkadarya region, law enforcement apprehended a deputy governor at the district administrative building after he received a $5,000 bribe for signing off on an urban development project within the Qorashina neighborhood. During the same operation, an engineer from the state-owned Unified Customer Service Engineering Company was also detained after allegedly accepting 15 million Uzbek UZS ($1,250) to overlook construction deficiencies in the project. Both officials now face criminal charges under Article 210, Part 2, Section "v" of the Criminal Code and have been placed in custody.

A separate incident involved an assistant to a neighborhood governor in Navoi city, who allegedly accepted a 20-million-soum ($1,700) bribe to help a resident secure a preferential loan of 100 million UZS from a local bank. The assistant had provided the service based on a recommendation from a former neighborhood governor aide. During this investigation, the previous aide and a bank specialist were also detained after accepting bribes of 10 million UZS ($830) and 2 million UZS ($165), respectively, for preparing the required loan documentation. Criminal charges under Articles 168 and 211 have been filed against all individuals involved.

In yet another incident, an assistant to the neighborhood governor in Shahrihon district, Andijan region, was caught taking a 9-million-soum ($750) bribe. The assistant reportedly offered to help a local entrepreneur obtain a preferential loan of 100 million UZS by leveraging his official position. The assistant has since been charged with violations under Articles 168 and 214 of the Criminal Code and is currently in custody.

These arrests reflect an intensified effort by Uzbek law enforcement to address bribery and corruption within local government ranks. Authorities are continuing to pursue investigations to hold public officials accountable for misusing their positions for personal gain.