Namangan regional court judge releases repeat offender convicted of running a brothel

Judge Avazbek Inomov, who presides over criminal cases, overturned the imprisonment of a dangerous repeat offender who was already serving a probation period for a previous crime. Kun.uz reviewed the case documents.

Definitions

• Procuring (pimping) – Facilitating sexual services or unnatural sexual acts between individuals for personal gain.
• Operating a brothel – Providing a space for sexual services in exchange for money.

(Source: M.Kh. Rustambaev, Commentary on the Criminal Code, Adolat, 2016, p. 131, Tashkent State University of Law Digital Library)

Sex work disguised as Hijama therapy

On September 28, 2023, the Namangan city criminal court sentenced two individuals:

• Jamila Davronova (born in 1984)
• Shokhsanam Dadabaeva (born in 1994)

According to court records, Dadabaeva, a dangerous repeat offender, and her accomplice Davronova colluded to operate an illegal business. On April 25, 2023, at the Hijama massage parlor in Yangi Namangan district, they arranged a paid sexual encounter for 200,000 UZS between a worker and an undercover law enforcement officer. They were caught during a sting operation.

• Dadabaeva rented the Hijama massage parlor.
• Davronova worked as a masseuse.
• Davronova fully admitted guilt in court.

Initial sentencing

The court ruled as follows:

• Jamila Davronova was convicted under Article 131, Part 3 of the Criminal Code (Procuring or Operating a Brothel) and sentenced to three years of restricted freedom.
• Shokhsanam Dadabaeva was convicted under Article 131, Part 4, Clause (b) (Procuring or Operating a Brothel by a Repeat Offender) and sentenced to five years and one month in prison.
• Dadabaeva was taken into custody immediately.

Sentence overturned in appeal

Unhappy with the verdict, Dadabaeva appealed. Her case was reviewed by the Namangan regional court’s appeal panel, chaired by Judge Avazbek Inomov.

On November 7, 2023, the appeal court reduced Dadabaeva’s sentence, applying Article 72 of the Criminal Code, converting her prison term into a conditional sentence with a three-year probation period. As a result, she was released from custody in the courtroom.

The court justified the decision by stating that Dadabaeva was a woman, a mother of three minor children, and a self-employed entrepreneur.

Ignoring prior crimes

Despite Dadabaeva’s repeat offender status, Judge Inomov’s panel ignored the fact that she committed the new crime while already on probation for a previous conviction in 2022 by the Yangikurgan district criminal court.

A pattern of controversial decisions

Judge Avazbek Inomov had previously overturned a 2.5-year prison sentence against Gulom Sultonov, the son of the Pop district mayor, for stealing over 200 million UZS worth of electricity.

On August 7, 2024, the Namangan regional court’s appeal panel, led by Inomov, reduced Sultonov’s sentence to three years of restricted freedom, allowing him to walk free from the courtroom.

However, following public outrage and media scrutiny, Sultonov’s case was re-examined, and the appeal ruling was overturned. The initial 2.5-year prison sentence was reinstated, and he was sent to prison.

Judge receives ‘Exemplary Judge’ award despite controversies

Shortly after, despite his questionable rulings, Avazbek Inomov was awarded the "Exemplary Judge" title by the Supreme Judicial Council, citing his outstanding performance and high ratings in 2024.