«I will send your videos to your husband»: Extortionists blackmailing a woman detained

In Surkhandarya region, the illegal activities of individuals who obtained a woman's personal photo and video materials through social networks and threatened her with extortion have been curtailed.

Based on an appeal made to internal affairs bodies by a resident living in Jarkрган district, the suspects were detained with material evidence during a fast-response operation conducted by officers of the Surkhandarya Region Internal Affairs Directorate and Jarkurgan District Internal Affairs Department.

Detained with the «Diyorabonu 67» account and 1 million soums

During the rapid inquiry, the following details of the crime became known:

• Threat on social media: In her application, the woman from Jarkurgan stated that the owner of the Instagram profile named «Diyorabonu 67» was demanding 2 million soums, threatening to send her personal videos to her husband working in the Russian Federation;

• Moment of detention: During the special operation, a local citizen born in 2007 who operated this fake account was caught red-handed while receiving 1 million soums of the requested money.

Blackmail, sexual violence, and gold earrings: The misdeeds of the second accomplice

During the pre-investigation checks, another participant in the criminal chain was exposed:

• Previously convicted person: It turned out that another previously convicted citizen born in 2002 had also been blackmailing the victim by threatening to distribute her videos;

• Material and physical coercion: By intimidating the woman, he repeatedly forced her into sexual relations and extorted a 4-gram gold earring and 100 US dollars in exchange for keeping secrets.

Legal action and an important warning from the internal affairs bodies

• Criminal case initiated: Regarding these cases, a criminal case has been instituted against both suspects under Part 1 of Article 165 (Extortion) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and investigative actions are underway;

• Appeal to citizens: Internal affairs bodies urge the population not to send personal data, photos, and videos to strangers, and to strictly follow cybersecurity rules. Citizens are asked to immediately report to 112 or the regional internal affairs department if they encounter threats or extortion.