Uzbek Education Ministry Official Arrested for $100,000 Bribe

A senior official from Uzbekistan's Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation has been arrested red-handed while accepting a bribe of $100,000. The arrest was made by the State Security Service.

The suspect, identified as a leading specialist in the department for licensing educational organizations, allegedly demanded the money from an administrator of a prestigious private university based in Karshi. In exchange for the payment, he promised to expedite and secure a positive decision on issuing a license for the university to open a new branch in the Surkhandarya region.

The operation was conducted by officers from the State Security Service's department for the Kashkadarya region. The arrest took place in Tashkent as the official was receiving the full sum of cash.

A criminal case has been initiated under Article 168 of Uzbekistan's Criminal Code, which pertains to fraud. The court has ordered that the suspect be held in pre-trial detention while the investigation continues.

Authorities are urging citizens who encounter similar corrupt practices to report them via a dedicated hotline at 1520, assuring confidentiality for all whistleblowers.