Uzbek military court sentences Taftish.uz staff and ex-SGB officers to 4.1-10.6 years

September 24, 2026 at 09:45 PM1 min

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A military court in Uzbekistan sentenced staff of the Taftish.uz outlet and former State Security Service officers to prison terms ranging from 4.1 to 10.6 years. Project head Gayrat Aberaev received 10.6 years, while journalist Marjona Eshkuvatova was sentenced to 4.1 years. The closed trial convicted the defendants of defamation, insult, fraud, and extortion.

Key Facts

Project head Gayrat Aberaev was sentenced to 10.6 years in prison.
Journalist Marjona Eshkuvatova received a 4.1-year prison term.
Two other editorial staff, Azizjon Yuldashev and Sardor Khamidov, and former SGB officers were sentenced to over 10 years.
The defendants were convicted of defamation, insult, fraud, and extortion.
The defendants were detained on January 16.

Sentencing Details

The Military Court of Uzbekistan handed down sentences ranging from 4.1 to 10.6 years to Taftish.uz staff and former State Security Service officers. Project head Gayrat Aberaev received 10.6 years, and journalist Marjona Eshkuvatova received 4.1 years. Editorial staff Azizjon Yuldashev and Sardor Khamidov, along with former SGB officers, were sentenced to over 10 years. The court ordered the convicts to serve their sentences in general-regime colonies.

Charges and Investigation

The defendants were found guilty of defamation, insult, fraud, and extortion. Military investigators handled the criminal case, and the defendants were detained on January 16. According to the investigation, the accused used journalism as a cover to systematically extort large sums from entrepreneurs and citizens. They allegedly threatened to spread defamatory and slanderous information to intimidate victims.