Tashkent police official caught on tape demanding fabricated vagrancy reports

A senior law enforcement official in Tashkent has been caught on record instructing prevention inspectors to meet arbitrary vagrancy targets, suggesting they register their own relatives as vagrants if no actual cases are found.

Audio and video files obtained by Kun.uz identify the official as Abror Khudoyberdiev, a representative of the Almazar District Department of Internal Affairs. In the audio, Khudoyberdiev says that if inspectors are unable to find vagrants, they should register their relatives, or even themselves, as such.

“I’m telling you again – there are zero vagrants. Are there really none in Almazar district? Register them immediately. Everything is at zero: compulsory treatment referrals – zero, vagrancy – zero, administrative reports – zero, administrative supervision – zero. Each of you register a vagrant. Bring a relative and register them as a vagrant. Register yourself as a vagrant,” he says.

In a separate video message, Khudoyberdiev is seen urging staff to meet a specific numerical target before a 10 p.m. deadline. “One hour left. The count will be at 10 p.m. I don’t want to go there. Come on, let’s step it up – we’ve already issued 300, we still have 200 protocols to complete. Everyone out on the streets!” he says.

The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs informed Kun.uz that the situation is currently under review and an investigation into the official’s conduct will be conducted.