The Mirabad District Court in Tashkent has issued a verdict in a closed session on March 19th regarding Salim Abdurahimovich Abduvaliyev, also known as "Salimbay," a well-known entrepreneur and deputy chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan. The court found Salim Abduvaliyev guilty of illegal possession of firearms and sentenced him to 6 years in a general regime colony.
The court acquitted Salim Abduvaliyev of charges related to smuggling, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations. The decision was made in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code of Uzbekistan. Salim Abduvaliyev was arrested in December last year as part of a crackdown on "street gangs" and criminal groups across Uzbekistan.
Initially, he was a suspect in a case involving illegal possession of firearms and later the charges were upgraded due to repeated offenses. According to the law, individuals who voluntarily surrender items specified in this article are exempt from liability. Salim Abduvaliyev, born in 1950 and a retiree with no prior criminal record, has been serving as the deputy chairman of the National Olympic Committee and head of the Wrestling Sports Association on a voluntary basis since January 2017.
He was awarded the "Dustlik" order in 2015 for his contributions to sports and received the title of "Merited Sports Coach" in 2021. The court's statement mentioned that parties dissatisfied with the court's decision have the right to appeal to the city court.
