On July 19, 2024, Bakhtiyor Kudratullaev and others were convicted by the Yunusabad District Criminal Court.
According to Kun.uz's source, the defendants' lawyers filed appeals against the verdict.
The appellants include Bakhtiyor Kudratullaev, his brother Shukhrat Kudratullaev, Matlub Mirzoyev, Anvar Mirzakhanov, Feruz Vafoyev, Asadullo Jurayev, Fayziddin Kamolov, and Makhmudjon Usmonboev.
In his appeal, Bakhtiyor Kudratullaev claimed that he did not commit the crimes of organizing a criminal gang and extortion and that his actions did not involve the criminal activity of money laundering. He argued that he was not involved in over ten of the charges against him and requested acquittal on several charges, as well as the cancellation of the decision labeling him a dangerous recidivist.
The Tashkent City Court’s Criminal Cases Panel has now begun reviewing the case in the appellate instance.
For context, according to the original ruling, Bakhtiyor Kudratullaev, also known as "Bakhti Tashkentsky," was found guilty of several crimes under the Criminal Code, including Article 104 (Part 3, Clause "g"), Article 109 (Part 2), Article 165 (Part 3, Clauses "a" and "v"), Article 168 (Part 4, Clause "v"), Article 242 (Part 1), Article 243, and Article 276 (Part 2, Clauses "a" and "b"). He was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment.
In addition, under Article 34 of the Criminal Code, he was designated a "particularly dangerous recidivist" and ordered to serve his sentence in a high-security colony.
It is worth noting that the initial court ruling sentenced the defendants to prison terms ranging from 3 to 20 years. The only female defendant, N. Jumaniyazova, received a non-custodial sentence. Six individuals were declared "dangerous recidivists" and sentenced to serve their terms in special regime colonies.
One day after the verdict was announced, it was reported that 60-year-old Shukurali Kurbonov had passed away.