Blogger Otabek Akhliddinov sentenced to 7 years in prison

In Andijan, blogger Otabek Akhliddinov, who previously held the position of head of the admission and diagnostic department of the hospital in the Shakhrikhan district, Andijan region, was sentenced to 7 years and 1 month in prison.

Initially, the Khanabad city criminal court sentenced Otabek Akhliddinov to 5 years and 1 month in prison, finding him guilty of committing crimes under Paragraph “a” of Article 165-2 (Extortion committed repeatedly or by a dangerous repeat offender), Paragraph “a” of Article 167-3 (Theft by embezzlement, committed on an especially large scale).

He was also deprived of the right to hold leadership positions and positions related to financial responsibility, as well as engage in blogging activities for a period of 3 years.

However, later Akhliddinov and his lawyer filed an appeal, and the prosecutor of the city of Khanabad filed a counter-appeal.

After their consideration, the verdict of the first instance was overturned by the decision of the appellate instance of the Andijan regional criminal court dated December 5. Otabek Akhliddinov was acquitted under Article 165-1 (about extortion) on the basis of Article 83-1 of the Criminal Procedural Code.

By the decision of the appellate court, he was found guilty under Paragraph “a” of Article 165-2 and Paragraph “a” of Article 167-3 of the Criminal Code; on the basis of Article 59-3 and Article 61 of the Criminal Code, he was sentenced to 7 years and 1 month of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to occupy leadership positions and positions associated with financial responsibility, as well as to engage in blogging activities for a period of 3 years.

Thus, the counterappeal was upheld, but the appeal was dismissed.