A criminal court in the Bektemir district of Tashkent has started hearing a case against four individuals accused of bribery, money laundering, and abuse of power. The case is linked to alleged violations in organizing the employment of Uzbek citizens in South Korea.
According to the schedule of court hearings on the Supreme Court's website, the trial began on July 29 under Judge Durdona Dadakhonova. The preliminary investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor General's Office.
The defendants are charged under Article 210, Part 3, clauses 'a' and 'b' (bribery), Article 243 (money laundering), and Article 301, Part 1 (abuse of power, exceeding authority, or inaction).
The press service of Tashkent city courts stated that the case against Alijon Ashurov and other defendants is being heard behind closed doors. This decision was made due to the presence of personal data and other legally protected information in the case materials.
The courts said additional information will be provided after the proceedings conclude. Human rights activist Abdurakhman Tashanov noted that the case involves alleged violations in sending Uzbek citizens to work in South Korea.
Earlier, the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the Prosecutor General's Office announced an investigation into a possible corruption scheme related to sending Uzbek citizens to South Korea for work.
According to investigators, a group that may have included former senior officials of the Agency for External Labor Migration under the Ministry of Employment, representatives of private employment agencies, and others received $263,500 from 35 citizens.
The investigation later found that citizens may have been charged between $7,000 and $12,000, in addition to official fees, for assistance in obtaining jobs in South Korea. The total amount of funds received could be around $90 million, according to the department.
It was also reported that more than 600 citizens who paid the money but were unable to travel to South Korea for work have been identified as victims.
Additionally, the department reported other episodes: one involving 230 citizens and $580,000, another involving nearly 1,000 people and $5.6 million. The total amount for a series of other episodes was estimated at $45 million.
The department urged citizens affected by the organized group's activities to call the hotline at 71 233 10 07, assuring confidentiality.
Source: www.gazeta.uz