Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Mirzo-Ulugbek District Criminal Court sentenced the administrators of the Hello Tashkent Telegram channel. This was reported by the press service of the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan.

The court hearing was held behind closed doors. The victims and plaintiffs were 62 people, including 55 women.

The channel administrators were found guilty under several articles of the Criminal Code:

Clause “b” of Part 2 of Article 130 - production, import, distribution, advertising, demonstration of pornographic products.

Clauses “a, d” of Part 3 of Article 139 - libel.

Part 2 of Article 140 - insult.

Clauses “b, c” of Part 2 of Article 141-3 - disclosure of information that infringes on the honor and dignity of an individual and reflects intimate aspects of a person’s life.

Clauses “a, c” of Part 2 of Article 165 - extortion.

Three men were defendants in the case. The defendants were sentenced to imprisonment for a term of three to seven years. Hello Tashkent Telegram channels and accounts will be blocked.

In May 2023, it was reported that the Cybersecurity Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs identified and detained a group of people who created channels and groups in the Telegram messenger called “HELLO TASHKENT, SALAM TASHKENT.”

Administrators of groups and channels extorted money from citizens in exchange for deleting published images that degraded the honor and dignity of citizens.