A high-profile criminal case launched 14 years ago by Swiss law enforcement agencies has entered a new phase. On Monday, April 27, a new trial will commence at the country's Federal Criminal Court against Gulnora Karimova, the eldest daughter of Uzbekistan's first president, and her associates. Zamin.uz will present the most interesting details and anticipated developments of this complex legal process.
At the center of the charges: the criminal network 'Ofis'
According to the Swiss Attorney General's Office, a criminal structure led by Gulnora Karimova and named 'Ofis' extorted large bribes over the years from international companies seeking to enter the Uzbek telecommunications market. Within the scope of this case, opened in 2012, serious charges such as corruption, formation of a criminal group, and illegal money laundering are being put forward.
Banks also face responsibility
A unique aspect of this trial session is that not only individuals but also prominent Swiss financial institutions will be in the dock. Specifically, Lombard Odier bank has been held responsible under 'corporate criminal liability'. Although prosecutors are not directly accusing the bank of money laundering, the issue of whether the bank's management took sufficient measures to stop suspicious money flows and avoid becoming part of the criminal chain will be examined.
Interrogation in Tashkent and the 'standards' problem
For the first time in its history, the Swiss court went abroad to gather evidence and interrogated Gulnora Karimova for the second time in Tashkent in early 2026. However, this process caused many objections regarding international law standards:
Swiss judges were forced to submit questions indirectly, through the Prosecutor General's Office of Uzbekistan;
Due to confidentiality requirements and warnings about criminal liability, lawyers refused to participate in the process.
This situation casts a major question mark over the legal validity of these testimonies in the Swiss court.
Can the trial be held in absentia?
The likelihood of the defendants being physically present in a courtroom in Geneva or Bellinzona is very low. The 53-year-old Gulnora Karimova is currently serving her sentence in Uzbekistan, and the whereabouts of her main business partner remain unknown. Therefore, judges are discussing the possibility of holding the trial in absentia or dividing it into separate parts.
Dear readers, in your opinion, will this famous criminal case, ongoing for 14 years, finally come to an end? What do you think about the responsibility of Swiss banks in this process?
Continue to follow the developments and international legal processes on Zamin.uz .
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