On October 26, an arbitral tribunal of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) issued a ruling in a case brought by Turkish citizen Mehmet Zeki Obuz and others against Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Justice’s press service reported.
The tribunal dismissed all claims brought by the claimants against Uzbekistan. Its decision is final for the parties to the dispute.
Uzbekistan’s interests in the case, which began in 2021, were represented by the Ministry of Justice and US-based international law firm Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle.
The claimants were Mehmet Zeki Obuz, Seyde Yilmaz, Huriye Obuz and Turkish company Obuzlar Gida. The dispute concerned a food manufacturing enterprise.
Spot previously reported that Zeki Obuz had operated a business in Uzbekistan before being arrested on charges of smuggling goods and tax evasion.
The investment dispute was initiated under the 1992 bilateral agreement between Uzbekistan and Turkey on the mutual promotion and protection of investments. The proceedings lasted nearly five years.
The claim was registered on June 4, 2021, and the arbitral tribunal was constituted on February 15, 2022. The main hearings were held in Washington on July 1−10, 2024. The proceedings were closed on October 19, 2026, and the tribunal issued its ruling a week later, on October 26.
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