Eleven convicted over mass poisoning of preschool children in Tashkent region

The verdict was delivered on July 14 by the Buka District Criminal Court, which found all 11 defendants guilty under Part 1 of Article 257-1 of the Criminal Code for violating sanitary legislation or anti-epidemic rules.

Among those convicted were two founders of Shark Milk Product, the company's director, four of its employees, and the directors of four other companies involved in food production or outsourcing services.

Three defendants received three years and six months' imprisonment. They are the director of Shark Milk Product, the company's chief technologist, and one of its technologists.

Another three defendants – two founders of Shark Milk Product and an assistant technologist – were sentenced to three years in prison.

The remaining five defendants received three-year restricted liberty sentences. They include the directors of Governess Business, Innovation Outsourcing Service, Nishon Invest, and Kinder Garden Group, as well as a laboratory technician employed by Shark Milk Product.

The court also imposed occupational restrictions on all defendants under Article 45 of the Criminal Code. The verdict has not yet entered into legal force and may be appealed.

Nearly 2,000 children were poisoned

The incident occurred on September 26, 2025, when children at multiple preschools in the districts of Buka, Piskent, Oqqorgon, Quyi Chirchiq, and Bekobod, as well as in the cities of Nurafshon and Almalyk, showed symptoms of mass food poisoning.

According to the investigation, hospitals received 2,112 children between September 24 and 27. Of them, 1,922 were diagnosed with food poisoning, while the remaining 190 were treated for other medical conditions.

The highest number of hospital admissions was recorded in Buka district, where 540 children sought medical attention, followed by Piskent district with 529, Oqqorgon district with 469, Almalyk with 287, Nurafshon with 113, Bekobod district with 110, and Quyi Chirchiq district with 64.

The case initially led to the arrest of seven officials from dairy producers and outsourcing companies. Authorities later expanded the investigation, and Tashkent region governor Zoyir Mirzayev said the number of suspects in custody had risen to 11.

At the time, Mirzayev said the situation could have had far more serious consequences without the timely supply of medicines, adding that the outsourcing system would be held accountable under the law.