A court in Surkhandarya Region has delivered its verdict in a high-profile murder trial stemming from a violent altercation at a traditional Kurash wrestling tournament in Denau District. The victim, a well-known regional wrestler named Nizomiddin Chotboyev, was fatally stabbed during the event and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. The Kumkurgan District Court for Criminal Cases sentenced the 29-year-old perpetrator, Doston Jabborov, to 19 years in prison.

According to court documents, the tragic sequence of events unfolded on May 9, 2026, in the Yangiariq makhalla. The suspect's younger brother had lost a wrestling match against Chotboyev's son. Enraged by the defeat and fueled by an ensuing verbal dispute between the competitors' fathers, Jabborov sought violent retribution. Records indicate that the defendant already had a criminal history, having been convicted twice previously for hooliganism and intentional infliction of severe bodily harm.

Driven by anger, Jabborov retrieved a kitchen knife from a nearby grocery store and returned to the tournament grounds. In full view of the victim's children, he stabbed Chotboyev multiple times. Despite receiving emergency medical attention, the prominent wrestler passed away from his wounds. During the trial, while the defendant expressed a degree of remorse and claimed diminished control due to anger, the victim's grieving family demanded the harshest possible accountability.

Following the legal proceedings, Doston Jabborov was found guilty under specific clauses of Article 97 (Intentional Homicide) of the Uzbek Criminal Code. The court handed down a 19-year prison sentence, to be served in a general-regime penal colony. This violent incident has sparked wider concerns regarding security measures, crowd control, and escalating conflicts at regional public sporting events.

Source: kun.uz