NOS News•today, 01:27
—
A state of emergency has been declared in the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan, following street protests that started on Friday and intensified over the weekend.
–
The rare demonstrations in the western region have been directed against President Mirzijojev’s plans to introduce a new constitution that will no longer guarantee Karakalpakstan’s autonomous status. The region is home to many Karakalpakians, an ethnic minority whose language differs significantly from Uzbek.
–
Since 1993, the region has been constitutionally an autonomous republic, with the right to secede from Uzbekistan if a majority of the population votes in a referendum. This autonomy no longer appeared in the plans for a new constitution. President Mirzijoev has now said he is withdrawing that part of his proposal. He paid a visit to Karakalpakstan on Saturday.
–
injured
According to the Uzbek authorities, the demonstrations turned into violence when protesters tried to storm government buildings in the regional capital Nukus, after which riot police dispersed them. It is not known whether there were injuries, but many images from the region are shared on social media, showing injured activists and blood on the streets.
–
The regional police say that the organizers of the demonstrations have been arrested, as have activists who oppose the police.
–
Reformer
Since taking office in 2016, President Mirzijoev has presented himself as a reformer, a very different leader from the dictator Karimov who held the former Soviet country in an iron grip for decades. Under Mirzijoev, the country opened its borders to the outside world economically.
–
He also constantly emphasizes the importance of a “free civil society” with guaranteed civil rights for all Uzbeks. Human rights groups say residents are still victims of police brutality and judicial arbitrariness.
–
The new constitution, which is due for a referendum sometime in the coming months, contains more guarantees for civil rights, according to the president. At the same time, the new law also allows him to stay in power for longer. Mirzijoev was re-elected last year and is due to leave after the current term, but under the new constitution he can remain president for another two terms.
—
