Olimjon Khaidarov
Khaidarov was widely known as a blogger and “citizen reporter”, active on social media platforms where he posted videos and commentary regarding a variety of social and political issues in Uzbekistan, including market conditions, governance, and public services. His online activities and critical posts were part of his public identity prior to arrest.
As of the most recent credible reporting available (2025/early 2026), Khaidarov remains imprisoned, serving an 8-year sentence after a conviction handed down in December 2023.
The court found Khaidarov guilty of multiple criminal offenses under the Uzbek Criminal Code, including:
-
Defamation (slander and libel involving criminal liability)
-
Insult related to official duty
-
Extortion on a large scale
-
Fraud on a large scale
-
Violation of trading rules on a large scale and related bribery-complicity counts.
Authorities alleged he demanded money (an alleged extortion scheme) in exchange for refraining from publishing critical content, and also cited insulting or defamatory online posts as part of the case. Legal observers and press-freedom organisations argue the prosecution was linked to his social-media commentary rather than bona fide criminal conduct.
Khaidarov’s trial was concluded on 1 December 2023 at the Fergana District Criminal Court, which convicted and sentenced him after a relatively brief hearing. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered the deletion or blocking of his social media accounts (channels, pages and groups). The authorities also rejected his appeal: on 28 December 2023, the Fergana Regional Court upheld the verdict without change. There has been no indication of transparent international monitoring of the proceedings or access to independent observers.
Khaidarov is serving his sentence in a general-regime prison colony in Uzbekistan, as per sentencing orders; local news reports mention he would serve the full eight years in such a facility. Exact prison identification and conditions are not publicly confirmed by independent human-rights monitors, and internal documentation of prison conditions in Uzbekistan remains limited and opaque.
There are no authoritative, publicly available reports on Khaidarov’s current physical or mental health condition from independent sources or human-rights monitoring organisations. Unlike some other political prisoners whose health issues have been documented by rights groups, no credible evidence has been published confirming a serious illness or urgent medical condition for him as of the latest available sources.
