In the Akkurgan district of the Tashkent province, two men who claimed to be exorcists tortured a woman, 42, to death. The incident occurred in July 2023.

The case was heard on December 22, 2023 in the Akkurgan district criminal court.

The court verdict stated that the accused, Rakhim Boltaboev, 35, and Yusuf Turakhodzhaev, 44, between July 16 and July 20, 2023, conspired to obtain assets through fraud. Two men came to the house of the woman living in the Kakhramon neighbourhood of Akkurgan district and convinced her that she was “possessed by a demon.” They then stated that it was necessary to perform a ritual and exorcise the demon.

The men would come to the woman's house every day at 5:00 am and allegedly performed the ritual for an hour. During the "exorcism" they beat the woman's chest, stomach, arms and legs using a hammer, iron stakes and chains that they brought with them. As a result, the woman died from her injuries on July 20, 2023.

The forensic medical examination conclusion, the woman was diagnosed with: a closed chest injury with a fracture and displacement of the left 2nd and 3rd ribs, a closed abdominal injury with hemorrhages in the stomach, intestines and abdominal wall, as well as a transverse rupture of the intestine, internal bleeding , hemoperitoneum, post-hemorrhagic and post-traumatic shock, bodily injuries on the left side of the lower lip, the right side of the groin area, the anterior surface of the chest above the chest, the anterior surface of the left shoulder girdle, above the navel, on the thighs and legs.

The men were found guilty of Fraud and Causing death by negligence charges of the Criminal Code.

By the court verdict, Rakhim Boltaboev was sentenced to 3 years in prison, Yusuf Turakhodzhaev - 2 years 6 months. Criminals serve their sentences in a penal colony.

The appellate instance of the Tashkent province criminal court on December 13 left unchanged the 7.5-year prison sentence of the lower instance court against blogger Lemara Mirzaakhmedova, nicknamed Emine Karamanova in social networks. Chairman of "Ezgulik" society Abdurahman Tashanov informed about this on his social network page.

Lemara Mirzaakhmedova, 47, was charged with Defamation, Insult and Extortion of the Criminal Code.