Blogger's deadline, farmer's death at the police station, Trump and Zelensky's clash – highlights of the week.
A new procedure for the construction of multi-apartment buildings based on renovation is being introduced
The demolition of houses has always been a sensitive issue for homeowners. Agreements with developers were not always reached, and there were many scandalous cases where the conditions for many residents worsened after demolition, forcing them to change neighborhoods, and so on. However, the situation may soon change. As of March 1, a new procedure for the construction of multi-apartment buildings based on renovation has been introduced. Now, to put multi-apartment buildings into operation, only approvals from the Construction and Housing and Utilities Inspection, as well as from the state fire supervision authorities, will be required. The renovation process can only begin after a notarized agreement is signed with all property owners. Owners can choose one of the types of compensation: an apartment in a new building of no less area than the demolished housing, with coverage of relocation and temporary housing rental expenses during the construction period; full compensation for the market value of demolished residential and non-residential properties; or another type of compensation agreed upon with the project initiator.
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have reached an agreement on railway construction
The authorities of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have reached an agreement on the construction of the Khairaton-Herat railway, deciding to send Uzbek specialists for a technical and economic feasibility study. This was announced by the acting Deputy Prime Minister of the Afghan interim government, Abdul Ghani Baradar.
After returning from a two-day visit to Uzbekistan, Baradar stated that the construction of the railway is planned to start within 10 days after the completion of the study, with the Uzbek side covering the initial technical assessment costs.
The initial stage of creating this railway network included the construction of a 75-kilometer section from Khairaton to Mazar-i-Sharif, which was completed in 2010 with funding from the Asian Development Bank. This section became a key factor in facilitating trade between Afghanistan and Central Asia.
It is expected that the expansion will become a vital corridor connecting Central Asia with the Middle East.
In January 2025, car imports to Uzbekistan decreased by more than 7 times in value and 5.6 times in quantity
The most significant decline was recorded in the hybrid car segment — by 31 times.
Electric vehicle supplies decreased by 6.7 times, while gasoline vehicles dropped by 2.5 times.
Starting November 1, 2024, imported cars began undergoing technical testing not at customs but at the testing ground in Pskent. There is also a check for electromagnetic compatibility for vehicles imported by individuals and private entrepreneurs. The testing ground's capabilities significantly lag behind actual needs, which likely caused the sharp reduction in import volumes.
The court found blogger Kobil Dusov guilty
The Arnasay District Court found blogger Kobil Dusov guilty in a case of insult and defamation against responsible officials in the preschool and school education system of the Jizzakh region.
The court considered the defendant's guilt fully proven based on the testimonies of the victims and witnesses, the conclusions of the forensic linguistic examination, screenshots of recordings, as well as all collected, verified, and recognized credible evidence.
The court found him guilty under Articles 139 (Defamation) and 140 (Insult) of the Criminal Code concerning four victims. As a result, for the aggregate of crimes, the blogger was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months of imprisonment to be served in a settlement colony.
A 12-point penalty system for drivers: details
Points under the new 12-point penalty system for drivers in Uzbekistan will currently only consider protocols drawn up by traffic police officers.
However, in the future, the point system will also include violations recorded by radars.
According to the new rules, drivers violating traffic rules will receive penalty points. For each violation, no more than two points can be assigned.
Penalty points accumulate over the year, starting from the date of the first violation. If a driver accumulates more than 12 points during this period, they automatically lose their driver's license for at least six months. In Tashkent, during special operations conducted from January 15 to February 15, 2025, 102,404 cases of traffic violations were recorded.
Attractive numbers for ID cards, passports, and driver's licenses are to be sold at a premium price
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan has proposed a draft resolution noting that the demand for documents with desired number combinations among citizens is increasing.
The draft provides for the improvement of the procedure for providing government services for issuing identification ID cards, biometric passports, driver's licenses, and vehicle registration certificates with unique numbers for increased fees.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes to introduce a system for issuing the aforementioned documents with popular number combinations at increased prices; to provide this public service on a paid basis using technical devices and software.
Citizens of Uzbekistan, foreigners with permanent residence permits, and stateless persons will be able to purchase an ID card number at a premium rate through the information system.
In Tashkent, a kindergarten teacher taped a child to a chair for refusing to eat
The video spread on social media. After the incident became public, the teacher and her assistant were fired.
Currently, the district prosecutor's office is conducting an investigation.
Earlier, in the Sergeli district of the capital, a child broke a leg after rough handling by a teacher. The parents were informed that the boy fell on his own, but surveillance footage showed otherwise.
A farmer died in the police station: what is the reason?
During the investigation of the murder of three family members, many locals were brought in for questioning at the police station of the Uzun district in the Surkhandarya region. Among them was a 50-year-old farmer, who was taken from his home by law enforcement officers. He spent two days in custody and died on February 25, officially reported as a "heart attack." However, relatives claim that there were signs of torture on the deceased's body and suspect that he was coerced into taking the blame.
It was previously reported that on February 15, a brutal murder occurred in the Uzun district: unknown individuals killed a woman and her two children, then set their house on fire to cover up the crime. Despite the fact that 12 days have passed since the tragedy, the investigative team has not yet been able to solve the crime.
Social media posts are circulating claiming that Tohir Khaitov was subjected to torture.
"As always, law enforcement officers are trying to justify themselves, claiming that he died due to health problems. However, according to available information, Tohir Khaitov was subjected to severe torture in the detention center for three days. He even managed to call relatives and inform them about this, asking for help. However, while the family was looking for acquaintances to resolve the issue, he passed away," the reports state.
According to the press secretary of the General Prosecutor's Office, Khayot Shamsutdinov, a preliminary investigation is underway. Additionally, regional representatives of the Ombudsman of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights are studying the situation and will provide an official report.
A service check has been initiated regarding the judge who issued the decision for his administrative arrest just hours before his death.
The snowy issue is on the agenda
On February 26, a significant amount of snowfall occurred in the capital and some regions of the country. It seemed to be a typical natural phenomenon for winter. Everyone shared beautiful videos on social media, but by lunchtime, the snow in Tashkent started to melt. However, not everything is as romantic as it appears at first glance. Many trees collapsed, some even onto parked cars.
"This is due to the increased weight of the crowns from the snow and ice, as well as the weakening of the wood structure. All trees in the city are recorded in the registry of the Ministry of Ecology and are under the control of the city ecology management," - said the administration.
The city administration emphasized that all utility services operated in enhanced mode, promptly addressing any arising inconveniences.
The roof of a stadium built