A shocking case in Uzbekistan has ended with a prison sentence for a 37-year-old man found guilty of committing sexual misconduct against a minor on public transport.

The Chilanzar District Criminal Court handed down a six-year sentence in a general-regime colony following an incident on February 4, 2025, aboard Bus No. 98 traveling toward the Hotel Uzbekistan, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

Court documents state that the defendant, heavily intoxicated, targeted a 12-year-old boy traveling alone, committing acts that violated the child’s dignity and sexual integrity. Video footage showing the man restraining the boy went viral on social media, drawing widespread public outrage.

During the trial, the man admitted full guilt, explaining that he had received his salary earlier that day and consumed alcohol heavily. He claimed he had no memory of his actions until regaining consciousness later in the Almazar District, where he was detained by authorities for a minor administrative offense.

The court classified his actions under Article 129, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (lewd acts against a person under 14). Despite the defendant’s requests for leniency, the court imposed the maximum sentence due to the severity and social danger of the crime.

The case comes amid ongoing reforms supported by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, including proposals for life imprisonment for sexual crimes against minors.