The list of bloggers convicted in Uzbekistan for insulting the president has been expanded with a new name. The press service of the Supreme Court announced the sentence of Valeriy Yugay, who was deprived of liberty for more than 3 years.
The case of Valeriy Yugay
“By the verdict of the Nurafshan City Criminal Court, V.D. (born in 1999 in Tashkent region) was found guilty of committing crimes under Part 2 of Article 156 (incitement of national, racial, ethnic or religious hatred) and Part 3 of Article 158 (attack on the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan) of the Criminal Code, and was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 3 years and 1 month,” the statement said.
It should be noted that TikToker Valeriy Yugay, also known as Abdulloh, according to the Tashkent regional police department, was in South Korea in October-November 2024 and insulted the Uzbek people from there. In one of his videos, he expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that he was born in Uzbekistan and said he would never return. Valeriy Yugay was detained in Abu Dhabi and extradited to Samarkand.
According to Part 3 of Article 158, public insult or slander against the President of Uzbekistan, including through the press, mass media, telecommunications networks or the Internet, is punishable by corrective labor for up to 3 years, restriction of liberty from 2 to 5 years, or imprisonment for up to 5 years.
Part 2 of Article 156 provides for restriction of liberty from 3 to 5 years, or imprisonment from 3 to 5 years.
Thus, from the range of possible punishments, the court chose nearly the maximum possible penalty, ignoring the option of restriction of liberty without imprisonment. For comparison, participants in the war against Ukraine in the Russian army are almost always sentenced only to restriction of liberty.
Yugay will serve his sentence in a settlement colony. He may also appeal the verdict of the first-instance court to the Criminal Division of the Tashkent Regional Court in appellate or cassation procedure.
Sentences of other bloggers for insulting the President
1. Sobirjon Babaniyazov — 3 years in prison
In Khorezm region, blogger Sobirjon Babaniyazov was sentenced in 2022 to 3 years in prison for videos and audio recordings that “insulted and discredited” the activities of former President Islam Karimov and current President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He was charged under Part 3 of Article 158 of the Criminal Code (public insult of the President via the Internet).
2. Valijon Kalonov — forcibly placed in a psychiatric hospital
In Jizzakh region, a criminal case was opened against Valijon Kalonov (born in 1969) under the same Article 158 (Part 3). According to the Jizzakh prosecutor’s office in 2021, he “misinterpreted reforms carried out under the leadership of the President to the general public, insulted the President, and spread information defaming and discrediting the image of the head of state, thereby slandering him.” Instead of a prison sentence, Kalonov was declared mentally ill and sent to compulsory psychiatric treatment.
3. Otkirbek Sobirov — 2 years 3 months
In January 2023, in Kokand, Otkirbek Sobirov expressed dissatisfaction with gas and electricity outages in Telegram and called on the President to resign. On May 16, 2023, he was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months under Articles 158 (3), 159 (1) – attempt to undermine the constitutional order, and 244 (2) – mass unrest.
4. Dilshod Iskandarov — 2 years 6 months
On October 26, 2023, a 19-year-old resident of Kattakurgan district, Samarkand region, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for a single offensive comment under a video of the Mirziyoyev family on Instagram. The examination found the deleted comment “insulting and discrediting.”
5. D. Tursunov — 5 years in prison
A 28-year-old man from Namangan, under the nickname “Muhammad Sanjar,” left insulting comments under posts about the President and criticized the system of governance. Under a local media post about the President’s participation in the Victory Day parade in Moscow, he wrote an offensive comment. Another was posted under a photo of the President performing Umrah. The court also found him guilty of illegal departure abroad and sentenced him to 5 years in a strict-regime colony.
6. Sitora Bazarova — 5 years 2 months
In Termez, Sitora Bazarova was sentenced to 5 years and 2 months in prison. On Facebook, she posted photos of the President and his daughter with offensive captions. Her case involved “insulting the President online” among other charges.
7. Bunyodjon Boboniyazov — 5 years 1 month
In Samarkand region, blogger Bunyodjon Boboniyazov was sentenced to 5 years and 1 month in prison for insulting comments about the President and attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.
8. Sobir Normamatov — 2 years 6 months of corrective labor
In Samarkand region, Sobir Normamatov was sentenced for comments under a video of the President and his daughter, which in fact seemed to be harmless words.
Sentences of bloggers for insulting the President – table
| Name | Region | Criminal Code | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sobirjon Babaniyazov | Khorezm | 158 (3) | 3 years prison |
| Valijon Kalonov | Jizzakh | 158 (3) | Psychiatric hospital |
| Otkirbek Sobirov | Kokand | 158 (3), 159, 244 | 2 years 3 months |
| Dilshod Iskandarov | Samarkand | 158 (3) | 2.5 years |
| D. Tursunov | Namangan | 158 (3) | 5 years |
| Sitora Bazarova | Termez | 158 (3) | 5 years 2 months |
| Bunyodjon Boboniyazov | Samarkand | 158 (3), 159 | 5 years 1 month |
| Sobir Normamatov | Samarkand | 158 (3) | 2.5 years corrective labor |
Each case is connected to the use of Article 158 of the Criminal Code (Part 3) — “public insult of the President through mass media, the Internet, telecommunications.” In most cases, additional charges were added, and punishments ranged from compulsory treatment to lengthy prison terms.
Thus, Article 158 of the Criminal Code remains one of the most strictly applied instruments against bloggers in Uzbekistan. The case of Valeriy Yugay is only part of a long list of those convicted for publicly insulting the president. Follow our reports, where we carefully document all such verdicts.
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