Ayub Usmonzoda, the former rector of Khujand State University named after academician Bobojon Ghafourov, has been sentenced to seven years in prison on bribery charges.
According to a source in the Sughd Regional Court who spoke to Asia-Plus, Usmonzoda was found guilty of accepting a large bribe from a public official under Part 4 of Article 319 of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code. The verdict was delivered on June 26, 2025. However, the court did not disclose the amount of the bribe or the circumstances under which it was received.
No further details have been made public, and attempts to contact Usmonzoda’s lawyer or family have so far been unsuccessful.
Usmonzoda was arrested on March 11, 2025, by law enforcement in the Sughd province. Following his arrest, his wife told Asia-Plus that her husband was innocent and expressed confidence that “the truth will come out.”
His detention followed the arrest of Parviz Ruzizoda, the dean of the University’s Faculty of Biology and Chemistry.
However, it remains unclear whether their cases are linked. Ruzizoda died in custody on June 13, reportedly from heart disease. His death was confirmed by several sources within the State Criminal Investigation Department and the Sughd Regional Court. One source noted that a prosecutor in the trial of Ruzizoda asked the court to sentence Ruzizoda to a 17-year prison term before Ruzizoda suffered a fatal heart attack. He was buried on June 14 in his native Asht district.
The court had been trying Ruzizoda on two charges: bribery and sexual assault under Articles 319 and 139 of the Criminal Code. No statements have been issued by his legal representatives or family.
This case is part of a broader corruption scandal at Khujand State University. In February, the head of the Sughd branch of Tajikistan’s Anti-Corruption Agency, Safar Salimzoda, publicly labeled the university a “corrupt institution,” reporting that at least 49 cases of corruption had been uncovered there. Salimzoda also stated that criminal proceedings had been initiated against five university employees. Their trials are pending, and it remains unknown whether any verdicts have been issued.
