Former Buvayda deputy governor sentenced for assaulting ecology inspector

Khizirov served as the deputy governor of Buvayda district with oversight over construction, accessible environments, communications, communal services, ecology, and urban greening.

According to the court documents, Khizirov issued a recommendation letter on September 17, 2025, to the head of the Melioration Expedition under the Syrdarya – Sokh Basin Irrigation Systems Authority. The letter requested a technical assessment for a project aimed at converting an 800-meter open section of the Nayman canal into a closed drainage network.

The Melioration Expedition advised that the project organizers must first secure formal permits and technical specifications from the district ecology department before cutting down or relocating any trees lining the banks of the canal. However, the head of the private company initiating the project began felling the trees without obtaining the mandatory clearance, sparking strong protests from local residents.

Upon learning of the public backlash, Khizirov arrived at the scene. He physically intervened by grabbing and dragging away ecology inspector Akhrorjon Niyozov, who was attempting to confiscate a chainsaw from a worker. Khizirov forced the inspector to halt his official duties, inflicting minor bodily injuries on him.

The head of the private company was also convicted as part of the criminal case. Both the former deputy governor and the company director faced charges relating to the illegal cutting of 104 poplar trees along the canal bank, which caused environmental damage valued at UZS 171 million.

Under the ruling issued by the Yozyovon District Court on May 5, 2026, Sayidjon Khizirov was found guilty under Part 1 of Article 206 of the Criminal Code for abuse of power or exceeding official authority. The court imposed a fine of 150 BCAs, amounting to UZS 61.8 million, and barred him from holding official positions for a period of one year.

The head of the company was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 198 of the Criminal Code for damaging or destroying forests or other plantations and was ordered to pay a fine of 100 basic calculation values, totaling UZS 41.2 million. Although the victim filed an appeal seeking a harsher penalty, the appellate court upheld the initial verdict without changes.

The court proceedings revealed that Khizirov’s initial letter to the Melioration Expedition was based on a decree issued on May 19, 2025, by the governor of Fergana region, Khayrulla Bozorov. The regional decree outlined plans to convert open canals along major highways into closed drainage systems to free up land for commercial and service facilities, explicitly listing the Nayman canal in its targets. While the decree exempted developers from fees for tree removal upon receiving ecology department approval, the local implementation bypassed these legal safeguards.

The regional governor’s controversial decree was subsequently repealed on December 4, 2025. The updated regulatory framework mandates that authorities must conduct on-site inspections of any canals proposed for closure, thoroughly evaluate their impact on land reclamation, and hold open discussions with local neighborhood activists. Furthermore, a dedicated working group has been tasked with auditing existing closed drainage systems, dismantling any non-compliant structures, restoring the open canals, and planting decorative trees under the nationwide Yashil Makon green initiative.