On August 29, the cassation instance of the Supreme Court ruled to release the former mayor of Urganch city, Shukhrat Abdullayev, who had been in prison for less than two months after the verdict, the spokesman to the Supreme Court Aziz Abidov.
On July 4, the Khiva province criminal court found Shukhrat Abdullayev guilty under Official forgery committed repeatedly or by a dangerous recidivist and Violation of the order of provision of land, committed repeatedly and resulting in the egress of irrigated lands from agricultural circulation charges of the Criminal Code. The court sentenced him to three years in prison with deprivation of the right to work in government bodies for two years after release.
On August 4, the case was considered in the appellate instance of the Khorazm province criminal court, which upheld the verdict.
Then the lawyers of the former mayor filed a cassation complaint to the Supreme Court with a request to acquit him, since he was unfairly convicted and there were no signs of a crime in his actions. In addition, the prosecutor of the Khorezm province filed a protest with the court and asked to impose a non-custodial sentence on Abdullayev, taking into account his pleading guilty, repentance, lack of criminal record and refund of damage.
Taking into account these facts, the cassation instance of the Supreme Court on August 29 changed the ruling of the court of first instance and replaced the punishment with a fine of 500 basic settlement units (165 million soums, or 14 thousand USD).
Thus, the protest was fully satisfied, and the complaints - partially. It was decided to release Shukhrat Abdullayev from detention.
Abdullayev worked as mayor of Urganch city in 2018-2020.
Earlier in 2023 the teacher in Tashkent city was sentenced to 5 years in prison for a 50 USD bribe and still remains in prison. Also, in April a man in Tashkent who harassed a 17-year old schoolgirl (kissed her on a cheek) was sentenced to 10 years in prison and still remains there.
Earlier the president Mirziyoyev signed a pardon decree in relation to 286 people.
In the case of the Uzbek Criminal Code, the code seems to be in very serious health condition, with those who interpret it are even in worse one.
