The criminal investigation into the employees of Taftish.uz media outlet has been transferred to the Military Prosecutor’s Office. This update was shared by the human rights activist and chief of Ezgulik Human Rights Society Abdurakhmon Tashanov.
According to Tashanov, authorities have already processed over 400 citizen complaints filed against the site’s team. A specialized task force of investigators from various regions has been assembled to handle the case.
The human rights defender noted that the decision to move the case to military jurisdiction stems from reports that several officers of the State Security Service (SSS) are among the accused.
Tashanov emphasized that he is unable to disclose specific details of the investigation, as many of the materials are classified or protected under investigative secrecy. He also suggested that the subsequent trial might be held behind closed doors. At the same time, he argued that officials who previously publicized the bloggers' actions should now provide commentary on the more opaque aspects of the proceedings.
The team from Taftish.uz, including its leadership, was detained in Tashkent this past January. According to the Tashkent Police Department Affairs, they are suspected of extortion and fraud. Furthermore, authorities are investigating their potential involvement in libel and the dissemination of false information.
Shortly after the arrests, the Ministry of Internal Affairs released a detailed statement on the charges, characterizing the journalists as individuals who had "turned extortion into a daily occupation."
The outlet is well-known for conducting investigations based on public appeals and citizen grievances. According to the Unified State Register of Enterprises and Organizations, Elita-Media—the parent company of Taftish.uz—was established in September 2019. Currently, the company is headed by [a person named] Aberaev, with Dilshod Irgashev listed as the founder. The Taftish.uz website was officially registered as a media outlet on March 24, 2021.
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