Uzbekistan Justice - The Times Of Central Asia

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Syria

Syrian Security Forces Detain Uzbek Fighters During Operation in Idlib

Syrian security forces have detained a group of Uzbek fighters during a security operation in the country’s northwest, according to two Syrian security officials cited by Reuters. The arrests followed unrest in Idlib province after the authorities attempted to detain an Uzbek militant accused of opening fire in Idlib city. According to Reuters, the incident escalated when armed Uzbek fighters gathered outside a government security facility demanding the release of the suspect. The protests later triggered a broader security sweep in several parts of the countryside, including the towns of Kafriya and al-Foua. Locals and Syrian officials said security forces deployed military convoys and reinforcements to the area, where sporadic gunfire was heard during the operation. It remains unclear how many Uzbek fighters were detained. The Syrian Interior Ministry did not immediately comment on the reports. The latest incident highlights ongoing tensions between Syria’s Islamist-led authorities and foreign militants who traveled to the country during the civil war that began in 2011. Many foreign fighters, including Uzbeks, fought alongside factions linked to current Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa before he formally severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016. Reuters previously reported, citing a Syrian security source, that around 1,500 Uzbek fighters were believed to be living in Syria, some accompanied by their families. The Syrian government has attempted to integrate thousands of foreign fighters into the country’s newly reorganized military structures following the December 2024 ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad. Some foreign militants have assumed senior state roles, including a Jordanian commander of the Republican Guard and an Australian head of a newly established sovereign fund. Others, however, have resisted joining state institutions, creating continuing security concerns for Damascus. The recent operation marks the second major confrontation in Idlib involving foreign militants in recent months. Last year, Syrian government raids targeting foreign fighters near the Turkish border drew in Uzbek militants after clashes erupted around a compound linked to French jihadist Omar Diaby, also known as Omar Omsen. At the time, the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War said Syrian transitional authorities were conducting “a low-level effort to target foreign fighters in Syria who have not integrated into the Ministry of Defense.” The institute reported that Uzbek militants had deployed to reinforce foreign fighters during clashes in Harem, a city near the Turkish border. The same report stated that Syrian authorities had arrested two prominent Uzbek foreign fighters in August 2025, contributing to growing dissatisfaction among Central Asian militant groups operating in Syria.

Pharmaceutical Business

Uzbek Agency Finds Systemic Failures in Dok-1 Max Case

Uzbekistan’s Anti-Corruption Agency has identified serious systemic shortcomings in the pharmaceutical sector following an analysis of court materials related to the Dok-1 Max case, according to a report reviewed by Gazeta.uz. The agency’s findings point to weaknesses in the processes for registering, certifying, and licensing medicines, where insufficient transparency and limited digitalization allowed a high degree of human discretion. This, in turn, created conditions for corruption risks to emerge. The case has already led to criminal convictions. On February 26, 2024, a Tashkent court sentenced several individuals to prison terms ranging from three to 20 years. Court documents indicate that during the registration of Dok-1 Max, a number of procedural violations occurred, including decisions that failed to meet established requirements. According to the agency, one of the key institutional problems lies in the structure and operation of the expert council under the Center for the Safety of Pharmaceutical Products, which operates within the Ministry of Health. The procedure for selecting council members and forming its composition was not defined in any legal document. Although the council consists of 17 members with independent voting rights, some simultaneously held senior positions within the same institution, creating a conflict of interest. The report cites the example of a department head who participated in the registration process for Dok-1 Max while also voting as a council member. Such overlap, the agency noted, undermined the independence of decision-making. Transparency issues were also highlighted. The council did not publish quarterly or annual reports, lists of members, or the outcomes of drug registration decisions on its official website. In addition, procedures for conducting inspections of pharmaceutical enterprises and disclosing their results were not clearly regulated, further contributing to corruption risks. The agency also found that inspection mechanisms were not aligned with international standards. A 2021 government resolution designated a single state enterprise as the sole body responsible for inspections, a structure the agency said contradicts recommendations by the World Health Organization and European regulatory bodies. Under international practice, such oversight is generally carried out directly by the Ministry of Health. In response to these findings, authorities have taken steps to reform the system. All processes related to the registration, certification, and licensing of pharmaceutical products have now been fully digitalized. In addition, registration certificates for at least 92 types of medicines have been revoked, and their production, import, and sale have been banned following re-evaluation. The agency recommended further measures, including transitioning all drug registration procedures to a fully online system, ensuring open access to information, increasing transparency in the expert council’s activities, and aligning inspection practices with international standards. The Dok-1 Max case has drawn international attention since late 2022, when reports emerged that children in Uzbekistan had died after consuming the cough syrup produced by India-based Marion Biotech. Initial reports cited 18 deaths in December 2022, followed by dozens more cases revealed in 2023. During the trial, prosecutors alleged that officials had accepted a $33,000 bribe to bypass proper testing procedures. The fallout has extended...

Jeffrey Epstein

Epstein “Mosque” on Private Island Linked to Tiles from Uzbekistan

A report by The New York Times has revealed new details about how financier Jeffrey Epstein sourced materials from several countries, including Uzbekistan, for a controversial building he described as a “mosque” on his private Caribbean island. According to the newspaper, Epstein pursued Islamic architectural elements for years for a personal project on Little Saint James. Among the materials he sought were tiles from Uzbekistan, which he intended to use in the structure’s interior. In a 2011 email cited in the report, Epstein contacted an associate in Uzbekistan requesting “authentic tiles,” noting that “it will be for the inside walls, like a mosque.” The request was one of several attempts to obtain architectural and decorative elements associated with Islamic heritage. The building itself, described as a blue-and-white structure topped with a golden dome, has long drawn speculation about its purpose. Documents reviewed by the newspaper, including correspondence and design references, indicate that Epstein repeatedly referred to it as a “mosque,” although it remains unclear whether it was ever intended for religious use. The report says Epstein drew on design influences from across the Islamic world. In addition to tiles from Uzbekistan, he obtained tapestries connected to the Kaaba in Mecca and commissioned architectural elements modeled on historic sites in Syria. An artist involved in the project, Ion Nicola, told the newspaper that Epstein consistently described the structure in religious terms. However, some design instructions departed from traditional norms. In one instance, Epstein suggested replacing Arabic religious inscriptions with his own initials. The materials from Uzbekistan were part of an effort to create what the report describes as an “island shrine,” combining elements from different regions. The sourcing of the tiles points to the geographic reach of Epstein’s network and his attempts to obtain culturally specific materials for the project. The documents cited by the newspaper were released by the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this year and shed new light on Epstein’s activities and connections before his death in 2019.

Gulnara Karimova

Swiss Court Suspends Karimova Case as Asset Questions Remain

A Swiss court has suspended part of a money laundering case involving Gulnara Karimova after she failed to appear at trial. Judges at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona said they had taken all possible steps to secure Karimova’s participation in the proceedings. This included a visit to Uzbekistan in August 2024, when court representatives met with the country’s Supreme Court to discuss options for her involvement. However, those efforts did not succeed, and in January 2026, Uzbekistan’s authorities formally declined the request. As a result, the court ruled that proceedings against Karimova could not continue in her absence. The same decision was applied to her co-defendant, described by prosecutors as a close associate. In this case, judges identified a separate legal obstacle preventing the trial from moving forward. Karimova’s lawyer, Grégoire Mangeat, described the dismissal more strongly, telling Reuters that the decision “amounts to an acquittal under Swiss law.” The court’s reasoning, however, was procedural: judges found a lasting obstacle to continuing the case because Karimova cannot attend, and no judgment is likely before the statute of limitations expires. According to the court, the co-defendant—an Uzbek national believed to be living in exile in Russia—cannot travel to Switzerland due to outstanding international arrest warrants. While it would theoretically be possible for him to travel from Russia, the absence of direct flights between the two countries since 2022 and the risk of detention in a third country make his participation unlikely. Judges also noted that the statute of limitations for the charges against him is set to expire in June 2027, making it effectively impossible for him to attend court before that deadline. This was described as a “permanent obstacle” to continuing proceedings against him. Despite these developments, the overall case remains open. The court confirmed that the main proceedings will continue against a former asset manager at Lombard Odier, as well as against the bank itself. Judges said there were no barriers to continuing this part of the trial and moved forward with preliminary hearings. The case, which has been under investigation for more than a decade, centers on allegations of money laundering and financial misconduct linked to a broader corruption network. While parts of the proceedings have now been suspended, key questions remain unresolved. Among them is the issue of assets allegedly connected to Karimova. The court stated that the possible confiscation of these funds will still be examined as part of the ongoing trial. The unresolved asset question is tied to a fall that has stretched across more than a decade. Once a high-profile public figure, Karimova built a vast business empire, pursued a career in fashion, and even dabbled in pop music under the name “Googoosha.” A former UN envoy and self-styled “Princess of Uzbekistan,” Karimova projected an image of glamour and influence that later collapsed under the weight of corruption cases in Uzbekistan and abroad. A leaked U.S. diplomatic cable offered a much darker portrait, describing her as “a robber baron” and “the single most...

Gulnara Karimova

Swiss Court Opens Long-Running Case Against Gulnara Karimova

A large-scale corruption case involving Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of Uzbekistan's last president Islam Karimov, is set to go to trial on April 27 at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Switzerland, according to a Finews report and official Swiss sources. The proceedings mark a significant step in a case that has spanned nearly two decades. The case centers on allegations by Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG), which claims that Karimova built and operated a network referred to as the “Office.” According to prosecutors, the group extorted bribes from international telecommunications companies seeking access to the Uzbek market. The alleged activities date back to the late 2000s. The investigation formally began in 2012, when Swiss authorities opened criminal proceedings against Karimova and a business associate. They face accusations including corruption, participation in a criminal organization, and money laundering. In 2015, the probe expanded to include a former banker at Lombard Odier in Geneva, accused of managing accounts linked to the network between 2008 and 2012. While the bank itself is not charged with direct wrongdoing, the court is examining whether it fulfilled its obligations to prevent financial misconduct. Under Swiss law, this falls under corporate criminal liability. Similar cases have previously led to penalties against institutions such as Credit Suisse and Banque Pictet & Cie. One of the most notable aspects of the case is its length and complexity. Although the alleged offenses date back more than 15 years, proceedings were only consolidated in May 2025, when the court merged separate investigations that had been handled independently for years. The case has also involved unusual procedural steps. In early 2026, Swiss judges traveled to Tashkent to question Karimova, who has been imprisoned there since 2014. According to reports, the questioning took place under strict conditions, with questions relayed through Uzbekistan’s Prosecutor General’s Office rather than asked directly. These limitations have raised concerns among legal experts about whether the testimony meets Swiss evidentiary standards. Further uncertainty surrounds the trial itself. It remains unclear whether the main defendants will appear in court. Karimova is not expected to attend in person due to her imprisonment, and the whereabouts of her co-defendant have not been confirmed. Swiss authorities note that cases of this kind are often resolved through penal orders without a full trial. However, in this instance, the OAG has opted for court proceedings, indicating that key facts remain contested. The trial is expected to examine both the allegations and the conduct of the investigation, though its outcome remains uncertain.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying in Central Asia: What Legal Protections Are There?

Cyberbullying has long ceased to be merely an argument on the internet. Insults, harassment in chats, the publication of humiliating photos and videos, coordinated mockery, threats, and the spread of false information can cause harm comparable to offline violence. In Central Asia, the problem is becoming increasingly visible, but legal responses still vary significantly. As of 2026, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have incorporated bullying and cyberbullying into legislation more directly, while Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan continue to address such cases mainly through general provisions on insult, defamation, threats, child protection, and internet regulation. Kazakhstan has taken the most explicit legislative approach to cyberbullying. The law introduced an official definition: cyberbullying is understood as systematic actions, that is, actions committed two or more times of a humiliating nature against a child, including persecution and intimidation using internet resources. The law also grants a citizen or the legal representative of a child the right to submit a complaint to the authorized body regarding instances of cyberbullying against a child, specifying the relevant internet resource. At the same time, laws on children’s rights and education have formally incorporated the concept of child bullying, including acts committed through media and telecommunications networks. A further step was taken in 2024, when Article 127-2 (“Bullying of a Minor”) was added to Kazakhstan’s Code of Administrative Offenses. It provides for a warning or a fine, with higher penalties for repeated violations within a year. In December 2024, Kazinform reported that Kazakhstan became the first country in Central Asia to establish specific liability for the bullying and cyberbullying of children in a separate legal provision, which entered into force on June 16, 2024. It is also significant that the provision is now being applied in practice. According to data released in February 2026 by the Deputy Chair of the Committee for the Protection of Children’s Rights, around 200 cases of bullying and cyberbullying against children had been recorded in 2025. This figure is important not only in itself; it indicates that the state has begun systematically recording such incidents and that victims and their families are more likely to seek protection. The main strength of the Kazakh model is its clarity. The law explicitly defines the problem, outlines complaint procedures, and establishes specific liability. Its main limitation lies in implementation: as with domestic violence legislation, effectiveness depends on how prepared schools, parents, law enforcement, and online platforms are to apply it in practice. Uzbekistan: Cyberbullying Within the Child Protection Framework In Uzbekistan, there is no separate legal provision titled “cyberbullying,” but the country has taken a significant step in terms of child protection. The Law “On the Protection of Children from All Forms of Violence,” adopted on November 14, 2024, and in force since May 15, 2025, explicitly recognizes bullying as a form of violence against children. The law defines such violence as actions, including those carried out through telecommunications networks and the internet, that cause or may cause physical or psychological harm. The definition of bullying explicitly includes...