Court Jails Taftish Journalists and Former State Security Officers: Up to 10.5 Years
The case was heard in a closed military court; no official information was released. Charges: slander, insult, fraud and extortion.
An Uzbek military court has sentenced staff of the investigative media project Taftish and several former officers of the State Security Service (SSS/DXX) to prison. Reports say the case was heard behind closed doors and that no official information was released.
The sentences
Project director Gʻayrat Aberayev (born 1988) received 10 years and 6 months, and journalist Marjona Eshquvvatova (born 2006) received 4 years and 1 month. Azizjon Yuldashev and Sardor Khamidov, as well as former SSS officers, were sentenced to more than 10 years. They will serve their terms in general-regime colonies.
The charges
The court found the defendants guilty of slander, insult, fraud and extortion. According to investigators, they used the cover of public oversight and journalism to demand money from businesses, including payment to delete damaging videos; more than 400 citizen complaints were reviewed.
Why a military court
Because former SSS officers were among the accused, the case was transferred to the military prosecutor's office. The group had been detained on 16 January 2026.
Important note
Because the trial was closed, the details rest on reporting by a rights advocate and outlets rather than an official court statement. The exact date of the verdict hearing was not officially disclosed.
In brief
- Who: Taftish staff and former SSS officers
- Sentences: from 4y1m to 10y6m in prison
- Charges: slander, insult, fraud, extortion
- Context: closed trial; detained 16 Jan 2026; 400+ complaints
Reported from Gazeta.uz, UzDaily, Podrobno.uz and Kun.uz.
