Acquitted but not released: 207 days in unjustified detention

In the Khorezm region, public attention was stirred when a citizen, initially accused of a crime and later acquitted by the court, remained in custody for 207 days without legal grounds. Such a serious mistake in the legal system deprived one person of their freedom and damaged their life and dignity. Interestingly, no clear instruction was given to revoke the pretrial detention measure or to release him from the penitentiary once acquitted, and neither he nor his relatives were aware of his exoneration. This event once again demonstrated not only the importance of human rights, but also the responsibility within the judicial and legal system.

Criminal case initiation: severe charges and arrest
Rustam Khojaniyozov and three other individuals were accused in October 2023 of stealing oil products placed in front of retail shops, and preventive detention was applied. The case went to Urgench city court. On March 29, 2024, the court found Khojaniyozov guilty under Article 169, part 3, clause “a” of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan (theft committed by a repeat or dangerous recidivist) and sentenced him to 3 years of imprisonment.

Appeal proceedings: verdict upheld
The case was appealed at the Khorezm regional court, which on May 3, 2024, reaffirmed the original sentence.

Truth revealed in investigative review
Later, the investigative authority reviewed the case again and, on July 22, 2024, issued a decree stating that no crime was committed by Khojaniyozov — he was acquitted, and this part of the case was closed.

However… the decree did not explicitly order his release from detention or revoke the detention order. As a result of this oversight, Khojaniyozov remained unlawfully detained for 207 days.

The court was wrong. But the consequences impacted only one man
A person remaining deprived of freedom after acquittal runs contrary to the principles of the rule of law. Most tragically, the decree dismissed Khojaniyozov’s appeal regarding the custody sentence, preventing him and his family from learning about his exoneration. Not only was he unaware of the verdict, but neither his lawyer, family, nor the penitentiary institution were informed.

Were the judges held accountable?
According to the Press Service of the Plenum of the Supreme Court, a service inquiry was conducted and the errors by the judges in the investigative authority were officially confirmed. Three judges in the hearing panel were given disciplinary sanctions (“hayfsan” admonitions). The judge who presided over the case, Ulugbek Bakdurdiyev, was dismissed from his position as Deputy Chairman of the Khorezm Regional Court for Criminal Affairs by Presidential decree on June 23, 2025, upon his own request.

Is everyone equal before the law — only not in practice?
Such cases reveal negligence in judicial decisions, flaws in information exchange, and weak oversight mechanisms. Hundreds of people, like Khojaniyozov, deprived of knowing “paper justice”, are forced to spend invaluable days behind bars.

The fact that only a disciplinary measure was taken against a high-ranking judge raises additional questions in the public. Is a human life’s freedom truly that insignificant?

Conclusion: when courts err, where is freedom?
Every judicial decision, especially regarding deprivation of liberty, must be taken with utmost care and completeness, mindful of consequences. Every second of a person’s life is irreplaceable. To prevent such grave mistakes, fully automated, transparent, and precise systems must be implemented. Otherwise, the phenomenon of being “acquitted but still imprisoned” may recur.

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