Uzbekistan Detains Officials in Anti-Corruption Crackdown

Authorities in Uzbekistan have detained two regional officials in separate corruption cases involving alleged bribery and land allocation schemes, local media reported on Saturday.

In the Surkhandarya region, the deputy governor of Jarkurgan district is suspected of demanding 90 mln soums (about $7,400) to arrange a short-term lease of nine hectares of reserve land to a farmer. Investigators say he received part of the payment in January and was detained in the city of Termez while allegedly taking the remaining sum. A criminal case has been opened on bribery charges, and the suspect has been placed in custody.

In a separate case in the Namangan region, an assistant to the governor of Chust district was detained during a local meeting. Authorities say he promised to formalize ownership of land in a small industrial zone for $23,000 and was caught while receiving $10,000. He faces charges of large-scale fraud, and the investigation is ongoing.

The arrests are part of broader efforts by Uzbek authorities to crack down on corruption, particularly in land and property administration.

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