Protests in the capital of Karakalpakstan, Nukus, began on July 1, 2022, due to a proposed amendment to the Constitution, which included a suggestion to remove provisions regarding the sovereignty of Karakalpakstan and the right of its people to secede based on the results of a national referendum. According to a commission report, 21 people died during the mass unrest, including two law enforcement officers. A total of 413 citizens were injured, among them 183 security personnel. Authorities used water cannons, tear gas, and other special tools against the protesters.
On July 2, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev promised not to alter the constitutional articles concerning the autonomy of the republic "if the Karakalpak people are dissatisfied." A few days later, the Parliament of Uzbekistan decided to maintain the status of sovereignty for Karakalpakstan in the new draft of the Constitution.
Following the protests, 2,639 individuals were subjected to administrative arrest, 6,135 were fined, and another 943 received warnings. As stated in a press release, 168 people were detained as part of a criminal case, of which 107 were released at the commission's request, and 61 were found guilty.
The commission also announced that three law enforcement officers were held criminally responsible for human rights violations. In August 2023, two members of the Uzbek Ministry of Internal Affairs were sentenced to seven years in prison for torture, while another received three years for negligence and perjury.
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