Two Interior Ministry officers caught accepting bribes

The complaint came from a resident of Tashkent region, who informed the SSS call center that a local interior ministry officer had been abusing his position to commit acts of corruption.

According to the report, the officer had demanded $20,000 from the close relatives of a former interior ministry employee currently under investigation for multiple criminal offenses under Articles 210, 131, 135, 206, 207, and 165 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code. The money was allegedly requested in exchange for helping secure a lighter sentence through the officer’s personal connections within the judicial system.

On May 16 of this year, during a joint operation conducted by the SSS and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Rapid Response Units, the officer was caught red-handed while receiving $20,000 from a citizen identified as “A.B.,” born in 1995.

In another incident on May 17, during a joint operation by the SSS, the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Rapid Response Unit, another interior ministry officer from the Yangiyul district in Tashkent region was caught accepting a bribe.

This officer had promised to have the prison sentence of a convict – who had been sentenced to 8 years and 5 months for crimes under Articles 103 and 112 of the Criminal Code – reduced during an appeal process, allegedly through the help of officials in the Tashkent City Court. The officer was caught red-handed while accepting a $24,000 bribe from an acquaintance of the convict, identified as “N.N.”

During the operation, documents were found in the officer’s possession, including certificates identifying him as an attorney and an arbitration court judge, as well as a copy of his appointment order from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“It should be noted that this individual had worked in the internal affairs system until 2014, and since 2022 had been engaged in private legal practice. In April this year, he was given a second chance and reinstated to his position in the Ministry. Unfortunately, less than two months after his reinstatement, he once again engaged in corrupt activities,” the SSS press service reported.

Based on the evidence gathered in both cases, the Tashkent City Prosecutor’s Office has initiated criminal proceedings under Article 168 (Part 4) and Article 28 in conjunction with Article 211 (Part 3) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Investigations are currently ongoing.