Nargiz Keldiyorova
Nargiz Keldiyorova is a civil society activist and, like Khakimova, was involved in public advocacy on issues including education and local governance. She was not accused of violent actions; instead, her profile in the community was tied to her involvement in social initiatives.
An appeals court later upheld her conviction. She is currently serving her six years sentence in a state correctional facility.
Charges Indicted: Keldiyorova was convicted of “extortion by prior agreement of a group of persons” (a criminal offence under Article 165 of the Uzbek Criminal Code). In addition, she was separately found guilty of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” and “insulting the president online”.
During the July 2024 trial, prosecution largely relied on testimony from a former school director who had been dismissed from their position. Organisations monitoring the case have noted that the alleged extortion counts appeared disconnected from one another, and that several defendants, including Keldiyorova, testified that they did not know each other prior to the indictment. Critics of the trial have pointed to a lack of solid evidence linking any of the accused to the substantive crimes alleged. Her conviction and sentence (six and a half years) were upheld on appeal in late 2024.
Keldiyorova is being held in an ordinary prison facility in Uzbekistan. Specific details about the name and conditions of the facility are not widely published, but reports indicate that her detention conditions are typical of the Uzbek penal system, which international observers have frequently criticised for inadequate healthcare and substandard living conditions for inmates.
There are no credible public reports indicating that Keldiyorova suffers from a serious medical condition requiring urgent care.
