In Tashkent, law enforcement officials decided to put an end to the activities of a group that used media for blackmailing businessmen. According to information from the Tashkent Main Internal Affairs Directorate, Fazlidinjon Mekhmanov, the head of the publication Demokrat.uz, and blogger Aziz Goipnazarov are under investigation.
The case was initiated after the release of a video that negatively affected the reputation of one of the city's car dealerships. According to the investigation, after the publication of this video, Mekhmanov demanded $50,000 from the owner of the car dealership, promising to remove the compromising information and cease posting new materials that could harm the businessman.
The owner of the car dealership, concerned about the situation, contacted law enforcement, after which the actions were monitored by operatives. After the first part of the money, amounting to $3,000, was handed over, Mekhmanov was detained on February 10 while receiving another sum — $17,000.
This incident has become part of a broader campaign in Uzbekistan to combat "info blackmail." Earlier this year, employees of the resources Taftish.uz and the publication "Qonun doirasida" were arrested in the neighboring country on similar charges. All those detained have been charged with large-scale extortion.
