The Nemolchi.Uz project, which fights violence in Uzbekistan, has released an investigation into a 15-year-old girl exploited in a brothel in the Khorezm region. The report is based on court rulings and official documents from the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor General's Office.

The brothel owner, Sokhiba Ruzimova, who was under probation supervision at the time, was sentenced to 6 years and 2 months in prison, with the court citing mitigating circumstances. She allegedly beat the girl and threatened her, claiming connections within law enforcement.

More than 10 suspected men are named in the case, but none have been held accountable. Cases against three were dropped for lack of evidence, while proceedings against the other six were terminated without a determination of guilt.

Senior inspector for juvenile delinquency prevention, Bakhrom Karimov, who met the girl and spoke privately with Ruzimova, faced no disciplinary action and continues to work in the same district office.

According to court documents, the girl left home in February 2025, met a man named Diyorbek, and ended up at Ruzimova's house. Ruzimova allegedly forced her into sexual exploitation, offering her to men for payments ranging from 200,000 to 1 million soums. The girl received no share of the money, only food and occasional clothing.

The Nemolchi.Uz editorial board criticizes the lack of legal consequences for the men and police officers involved. The report also recalls a 2023 case in Khorezm where an orphanage director and two men were convicted for similar crimes but later received lenient sentences, highlighting systemic failures in combating exploitation.

Source: www.gazeta.uz