Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Court of First Instance, chaired by Judge of the Judicial Collegium of the Karakalpakstan Criminal Court Elubay Abibullayev, at a meeting on 31 January, began the announcement of the verdict against 22 defendants in the case of the riots in Nukus.

The court sentenced Lolagul Kallykhanova, Azamat Turdanov, Akhmet Smetullaev and Azamat Nuratdinov to restraint of liberty and canceled the measure of restraint in the form of detention. They were released from the courtroom.

Nurlan Sultamuratov was found guilty under Part 3 of Article 244 of the Criminal Code (organization of riots accompanied by violence against a person, pogroms, arson, damage or destruction of property, resistance to a representative of the authorities with the use or threat of use of weapons or other items used as weapons, as well as active participation in riots). The court sentenced him to 3 years in prison.

Berdakh Genjebaev was found guilty under point “b” of part 2 of article 164 (robbery by prior agreement by a group of persons) and point “a” of part 2 of article 227 of the Criminal Code (seizure, destruction, damage or concealment of documents, stamps, seals, letterheads, state license plates motor vehicles and their trailers (semi-trailers) committed in relation to a passport or identification ID-card, military ID or other important personal document, or in relation to documents, stamps, seals, forms of particular importance). The court sentenced him to 5 years in prison.

The court found Salamat Kalilaev guilty under Part 3 of Article 244 of the Criminal Code (Organization of riots accompanied by violence against a person, pogroms, arson, damage or destruction of property, resistance to a representative of the authorities with the use or threat of use of weapons or other objects used as weapons, as well as active participation in riots). He was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Polat Nurniyazov was found guilty under Part 3 of Article 244 of the Criminal Code (organization of riots accompanied by violence against a person, pogroms, arson, damage or destruction of property, resistance to a representative of the authorities with the use or threat of use of weapons or other objects used as weapons, as well as active participation in riots). The court sentenced him to 4 years in prison.

Dauletmurat Tajimuratov was found guilty under part 4 of article 159 (conspiracy to seize power or overthrow the constitutional order of the Republic of Uzbekistan), paragraph “a” of part 3 of article 167 (theft by misappropriation or embezzlement on an especially large scale), article 243 (legalization of income, received from criminal activity), part 3 of article 244 (organization of riots accompanied by violence against a person, pogroms, arson, damage or destruction of property, resistance to a representative of the authorities with the use or threat of use of weapons or other items used as weapons, as well as active participation in mass riots) and paragraph "a, b, d" of Article 244-1 (production, storage, distribution or demonstration of materials containing a threat to public safety and public order, committed by prior agreement or by a group of persons; using official position; with using the media or telecommunications networks, as well as inter neta) of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan.

The judge sentenced him to 16 years in prison. Tajimuratov must pay damages for 228.8 million soums.