Hundreds of protesters were injured in Karakalpakstan

As a result of mass protests in the city of Nukus, the sovereign republic of Karakalpakstan, 18 people died and 243 were injured.

Photo: Internet

On July 4, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan reported that among the injured were 38 law enforcement officers. However, the Uzbek portal “Daryo,” citing “an official in the ministry,” stated that “more than 1,000 protesters were injured.”

Earlier, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev also reported on the casualties among the population and law enforcement officers.

According to videos posted on social media showing a large number of bleeding injured individuals, the number of casualties is higher than reported by official authorities.

Uzbek media, citing the head of the information service of the National Guard of Uzbekistan, Davron Jumonazarov, reported that 516 citizens were detained at the scene of the unrest on July 1-2 and taken to police stations. Investigative actions are being conducted against them, some are being interrogated, and administrative measures have been applied to some.

On June 27, dozens of people took to the streets of Nukus to protest against amendments to the Constitution of Uzbekistan, as the new version of the law removed the word “sovereign.”

The protests intensified after law enforcement agencies arrested lawyer and independent journalist Dauletmurat Tajimuradov, who announced the need for a peaceful rally in Nukus. It was later reported that he was released.

On July 2, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Nukus and accused the protesters of throwing stones, shooting, and attacking law enforcement officers. He also promised not to change the articles of the Constitution regarding the sovereignty of the republic “if the Karakalpak people are dissatisfied.”

Currently, a state of emergency has been declared in Karakalpakstan until August 2 of this year, and a curfew has been imposed at night.

The sovereign republic of Karakalpakstan is located in the northwestern part of Uzbekistan. According to 2022 data, the population of the republic is about 1.9 million. The area of the republic constitutes about 40 percent of Uzbekistan’s territory. The official languages are Karakalpak and Uzbek.

After the capture of Khorezm and Turkestan by the Russians, Karakalpakstan was declared sovereign in 1925 and became part of the Kazakh ASSR, but in 1936 it entered the Uzbek SSR under the name of the Karakalpak ASSR.

In the early 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Supreme Council of Karakalpakstan signed a Declaration of Independence, and in 1993, an intergovernmental agreement was signed for a period of 20 years regarding the inclusion of the Republic of Karakalpakstan into Uzbekistan. The Constitution of Uzbekistan recognizes the sovereignty and the right of the Republic of Karakalpakstan to secede from the country through a referendum.