In the last 13 hours, rare protests erupted in Nukus, Karakalpakstan Republic, Uzbekistan, amid fears that reforms to the Uzbek constitution would strip the region of its autonomous status. Video has emerged showing security forces attempting to clean up the street in front of a government administration building in the regional capital. The protests began on July 1st and have been brutally oppressed.
10,000 protestors in Nukus, Uzbekistan. pic.twitter.com/Y7NgrDT8j8
— Tessaron News (@TessaronF) July 2, 2022
Under the current Uzbek constitution, Karakalpakstan is described as a sovereign republic within Uzbekistan that has the right to secede by holding a referendum.
The new version of the constitution – on which Uzbekistan plans to hold a referendum in the coming months – would no longer mention Karakalpakstan’s sovereignty or right for secession.
Protestor tending to a man shot and killed by Uzbek security forces in Nukus. pic.twitter.com/0a7XStX4EC
— Tessaron News (@TessaronF) July 2, 2022
Before President Mirziyoyev announced a state of emergency from July 2nd to August 3rd, and turned off the internet in Nukus, protestors were reporting security forces openly firing into crowds of at least 10,000 people. Makan.uz reporter Lalgul Kallyhanova was reportedly killed and protestors reported security forces literally tearing apart a man.
Uzbek Security Forces reportedly beating a lone protestor to death in Nukus. pic.twitter.com/4BuZzJgXyU
— Tessaron News (@TessaronF) July 2, 2022
Accounts of brutal retaliation by security forces in Nukus have flooded Telegram, but abruptly stopped 3 hours ago once the internet was blacked out. Uzbek Telegram users are urging people in the city to get footage out at all costs “or face crushing retaliation”.
President Mirziyoyev flew to Nukus 7 hours ago to take hold of the situation and announce that the new constitution would not exclude the autonomous language for the Karakalpakstan Republic. The Interior Ministry announced that foreign actors were attempted to influence the crowd to overthrow the local government.
