Muzrabot governor formally reprimanded after insulting farmers in leaked audio

The controversy arose after Kun.uz published a leaked audio recording on June 16, in which a government official used profanity and targeted the families of agricultural producers who had fallen short of state-mandated grain procurement targets. Acting within its mandate to oversee and enforce the ethical conduct of public servants, the Anti–Corruption Agency submitted a formal notice to the Surkhandarya regional administration, demanding an internal review and a comprehensive legal assessment of the incident. The inquiry resulted in a formal reprimand being levied against Mamatqulov for breaching civil service codes of ethics.

According to details obtained by Kun.uz, the incident occurred on June 15 inside the district administration building. Mamatqulov gathered the farmers who had failed to meet their grain quotas in his office and systematically insulted them one by one. Observers noted that during his tirade, the governor demanded to know why he had to face reprimands from his own superiors due to their underperformance. The statement suggests that local administrative heads continue to face intense pressure from higher authorities regarding the fulfillment of state agricultural quotas.

Under the Code of Administrative Responsibility of Uzbekistan, public insults can carry financial penalties ranging from 20 to 40 times the base calculating amount. However, the current response has been confined to internal administrative discipline.

Abdulla Mamatqulov was appointed to lead Muzrabot district in May 2025. Prior to this role, his professional career was centered primarily in the water supply sector, alongside a tenure as deputy governor of Bandikhon district.