Clarity Brought to Case Behind Donkey Meat Trade

A court verdict was announced against individuals involved in the illegal storage and sale of donkey meat in the Kashkadarya region. On May 13, the Karshi District Court for Criminal Cases found two defendants guilty of putting into circulation products that do not meet safety requirements for consumers' life and health.

According to court materials, I.Kh., a resident of Karshi District with prior convictions, had organized a clandestine slaughterhouse in his home in violation of sanitary requirements. He purchased donkeys from various markets and engaged in slaughtering them and storing their meat.

During an operational measure conducted on December 28, 2025, 247.2 kilograms of donkey meat, 99 donkey hides, and bones were seized from his residence as material evidence. Expert examination confirmed that these products were completely unfit for consumption and hazardous to human health.

In his testimony, the defendant stated that he took the meat to the Chorsu market in Tashkent and sold it to dog owners. He also stated that his spouse's serious illness, brain cancer, was the reason for this activity.

The second defendant, Y.A., engaged in the unauthorized sale of meat products at the Karvan livestock market in Karshi District. During the operational measure, a total of 127.2 kilograms of donkey meat was seized from sellers, including him, and destroyed.

Although the preliminary investigation charged the defendants with 'criminal conspiracy by a group,' their mutual criminal connection was not proven in court. Therefore, each individual's actions were assessed separately.

According to the court decision, I.Kh. was sentenced to restriction of liberty for 3 years and 25 days, and Y.A. for 1 year and 6 months. Additionally, they were imposed with additional restrictions, such as not leaving home at night and not leaving the territory of the Kashkadarya region.