Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Republic of Uzbekistan issued an official statement regarding information circulated in some online messengers under the headline: “13-year-old Uzbek boy attempted to kill a person in Türkiye.”

Following verification by diplomats from Uzbekistan’s General Consulate, it was established that the incident occurred on August 22 in Akşahar Province, 521 km from Istanbul, and none of the individuals involved are citizens of Uzbekistan. The accused, S.T., born in 2012, and the victim, M.O., born in 2000, hold citizenship of another country.

The MFA emphasized that crimes committed by foreigners are sometimes erroneously attributed to Uzbek citizens by certain media, which negatively affects the country’s image. The Ministry advises citizens to strictly observe local laws and immediately contact the General Consulate in emergency situations.

“We urge media outlets to carefully verify facts before publication and not to create false impressions about Uzbek citizens abroad,” the ministry stated.