Media Report Possible Detention of Former Energy Minister
Media reported that former Uzbek Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov may have been detained, although authorities have not officially confirmed the information.
Former Uzbek Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, who was removed from his position on July 27, has reportedly been taken into custody by law enforcement, according to Vaqt.uz, which cited multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.
The publication states that Mirzamakhmudov was escorted from his residence to law enforcement on July 29, following his dismissal. As of the time of publication, there has been no official corroboration of the alleged detention. State authorities have also not disclosed whether any accusations have been leveled against the former minister.
During a videoconference meeting held on July 27, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced Mirzamakhmudov's dismissal, attributing it to significant systemic issues and inadequate management within the energy sector.
The president emphasized that the core problem was not a lack of funding but rather the management framework of the sector. He reported that approximately 4,000 power grid failures occurred in June and July, resulting in residents and businesses in certain areas experiencing power outages for as long as 810 hours. He also pointed to insufficient projections of increasing electricity demand, heightened strain on infrastructure, and electricity losses within the grid reaching 17.2%.
In response to the identified deficiencies, Asrorjon Askarov, chairman of Regional Electric Networks JSC, was terminated. The leaders of National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan, Thermal Power Plants, Uztransgaz, and Hududgazta'minot were placed on a probationary period until the close of the year.
A presidential decree subsequently appointed Sherzod Khodjaev as the new Minister of Energy.
Mirzamakhmudov, born in the Namangan region in 1979, earned a degree from the University of Alabama in the United States in 2001 and from the Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology in 2005.
He led Uzkimyosanoat JSC from 2020 to 2022 and held the position of Minister of Energy from September 2022 until July 2026.