The key facts

  • Damage was caused to 26 archaeological monuments; 8 criminal cases were opened
  • On the territory of the Dalvarzin monument in Andijan region, an orchard, crops and a concrete brick workshop were set up
  • Residential houses have been built on the protected territories of 48 monuments; almost 300 protection signs have been installed

What the inspection revealed

The prosecutor's offices, together with the Cultural Heritage Agency, carried out oversight measures on the protection and preservation of historical monuments. According to the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office, the latest inspection established that damage had been caused to 26 archaeological monuments. Following the inspection, 8 criminal cases were opened, 68 submissions were issued, and 20 officials were brought to disciplinary and administrative liability.

The most serious violations

One of the most striking cases is the Dalvarzin monument in Andijan region, dated to the 12th–7th centuries BCE: an orchard, sown areas and a workshop producing concrete bricks were set up on its territory, as a result of which the monument suffered damage in an especially large amount. In Samarkand region, part of the Talligulontepa monument, with a volume of 195 cubic meters, was destroyed using heavy machinery. In Shakhrisabz, due to the negligent attitude of responsible officials, three residential houses were arbitrarily built on the protected territory of the Saryktepa monument. In addition, across the republic, residential houses and even toilets were erected on the protected territories of 48 monuments.

Measures and liability

In addition to criminal cases and disciplinary measures, the inspection resulted in the installation of almost 300 protection signs on monument territories. Causing damage to archaeological monuments in Uzbekistan is considered a grave crime: it is punishable by imprisonment for up to 7 years. The scale of the identified violations — from construction to plowing of land on monuments — shows that the problem concerns not individual sites but dozens of monuments across the country.