Criminal investigation launched into destruction of protected 100-year-old trees in Sariosiyo

A criminal investigation has been initiated in Sariosiyo following the destruction of protected 100-year-old trees, as announced by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change.

Century-old juniper trees in the Sariosiyo district of Surkhandarya province were illegally cut down and uprooted. Environmental inspectors documented the damage on August 3 within the Uzun Forestry Management area, a state-owned property in the Sangardak neighborhood. Initial evaluations reveal that 11 Zarafshan juniper trees, each estimated to be 100 years old, were unlawfully removed. These logging activities were carried out without the required permits and in direct violation of prior warnings from environmental enforcement officers.

A specialized task force, consisting of members from the Eco-police, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Surkhandarya province Administration, and the regional environmental directorate, is currently conducting an investigation at the site. Authorities stated that upon completion of the inquiry, the full financial and environmental impact will be assessed, and severe legal measures will be taken against those responsible, in line with existing laws.

Deforestation and environmental harm continue to be widespread problems throughout the country. For instance, an entrepreneur in the Olot district of Bukhara province was recently ordered to pay 1.3 billion soums for illegal logging. Likewise, an unauthorized logging operation in the Toshkent province led to the felling of 121 trees, resulting in over 1 billion soums in environmental damages.