A court in Tashkent, Uzbekistan has ruled in a disturbing workplace harassment case involving a bank employee accused of sexually harassing and violently assaulting his colleague during a business trip.

The Criminal Court of Chilanzar District reviewed the case, which stemmed from an incident that occurred in December at the Rohat Hotel, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

According to court documents, the 25-year-old defendant and the victim worked together at a bank branch in the Chartak district of the Namangan region. Both were sent to Tashkent to participate in a professional competition. On the night of December 19, the man entered his colleague’s hotel room under the pretext of having dinner together.

In court, the defendant admitted guilt. He stated that he had known the victim since 2021 and claimed he entered her room to dine and prepare for the competition. He acknowledged attempting to hug her but said she resisted. He asked the court for leniency.

The victim, however, described a far more alarming sequence of events. She testified that despite refusing to have dinner with him, he remained in her room. She said he later began making unwanted advances and proposed an intimate relationship.

When she refused and reportedly told him, “I would rather die than do this,” he responded, “Then you will die,” pushed her onto the bed, and began choking her with a pillow. The woman screamed and tried to leave the room, but he prevented her from doing so, according to her testimony.

The court found the man guilty under Part 1 of Article 41-1 of Uzbekistan’s Code of Administrative Responsibility (sexual harassment) and sentenced him to five days of administrative detention.