Two young men in Uzbekistan's Andijan region have been fined for animal cruelty after throwing a kitten over a high fence to gain social media followers. The incident occurred on July 27 near the Navruz Mall shopping and entertainment complex.

According to the Andijan Regional Police Department, an 18-year-old resident of Shakhrikhan district threw the kitten over a high fence onto a construction site to boost his follower count. His 20-year-old acquaintance filmed the act.

The video was posted on Instagram and sparked public outrage. In the footage, the young man laughs after throwing the animal and says, "A cat has 40 lives. It used one, 39 left."

Both individuals were charged with administrative offenses for animal cruelty. Each was fined 10 times the base calculation value, equivalent to 4.1 million soums (about $330).

Following the fine, the young men recorded an apology video. One admitted wrongdoing and promised not to repeat such behavior. The other said he should have stopped his friend instead of filming and posting the video.

Police emphasized that cruelty to animals violates both moral norms and the law. The department also warned that attempts to gain popularity on social media through such acts inevitably lead to legal consequences.

Source: podrobno.uz