Pop district judge who released governor’s son convicted of theft awarded “Exemplary Judge” title

According to the Supreme Judicial Council, 18 judges were recognized with the "Exemplary Judge" award based on their performance and high ratings for 2024. Among the recipients was Avazbek Inomov, a judge from the Namangan Regional Court for criminal cases.

Previously, Judge Inomov gained notoriety for presiding over the appellate hearing that released Ghulom Sultonov from custody.

On August 7, 2024, the Namangan Regional Court’s appellate division, chaired by Judge Inomov, altered the initial verdict against Sultonov. Despite being convicted of large-scale theft, he was released from custody.

Sultonov, while managing the “Jiydakapa Baraka Chorva” farming enterprise in Uychi district, was found guilty of illegally connecting a livestock complex and dairy processing facility to the electrical grid. This resulted in a theft of electricity valued at 200,326,500 UZS.

The Uychi district court had initially convicted Sultonov under Article 169, Part 4(a) of the Criminal Code (theft on a large scale) and sentenced him to 2.5 years in prison. However, during the appellate review, his sentence was reduced to three years of restricted freedom, and he was immediately released in court. The ruling cited compensation for damages as a factor in the decision.

Ghulom Sultonov is the son of Pop district governor Azamjon Sultonov. This case, alongside a similar one where an ordinary citizen was imprisoned under comparable circumstances, sparked widespread criticism in the media and on social networks.

Following public scrutiny, the Namangan Regional Court’s investigative division reviewed the case. The appellate ruling was annulled, and the initial sentence of 2.5 years in prison was reinstated for Sultonov.