American lawmakers will submit a report to Congress on the demonstrations in Karakalpakstan

American lawmakers will present an official document on the events in Karakalpakstan, which will be distributed in all cabinets of senators and congressmen of the US Congress.  This is reported by the news agency “Dunyo” (world).

It is reported that the Uzbekistan Ambassador to Washington, Javlon Vakhobov, held negotiations with members of US Congress via video-conference in order to provide impartial information about the situation in Karakalpakstan, as well as the government's efforts to ensure peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region.

Congressman Steve Chabot, Co-Chair of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Central Asia of the US Congress Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed gratitude for the detailed information about the real causes of the events in Karakalpakstan and the measures taken by the government to stabilize the situation in the region.

He also stated that the United States would welcome Uzbekistan’s efforts to conduct a comprehensive, transparent, and credible investigation.

Congressman Steve Chabot noted that he had been closely monitoring the current situation in Karakalpakstan as a member of the " Caucus on Uzbekistan " in the US Congress and co-chairman of the Subcommittee on Central Asia and would promote the efforts made by the authorities to stabilize the situation in the region.

“I am sure that this test, which recently broke out in the country, will be a new starting point in the bright future”, - said a member of the “Caucus on Uzbekistan” of the US Congress, who visited Uzbekistan in October 2021 as part of the delegation of the American lawmakers, Republican Congressman Don Bacon from Nebraska.

The Uzbekistan embassy reported that, at the end of the dialogue, American congressmen expressed their readiness to submit an official document of the Congress’s “Congressional Record”, which will be distributed in the cabinets of all senators and congressmen.  They considered that this official information would be useful to all members of Congress in providing objective information on developments in the region.

In addition, the congressmen noted that the inclusion of information on Karakalpakstan in this document is evidence of the consensus of members of Congress on this issue.

It should be recalled that on 1 and 2 July of the current year, in the city of Nukus of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, some citizens, having misinterpreted the constitutional reforms underway in the Republic of Uzbekistan, organized unexpected demonstrations.

The Supreme Council of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Karakalpakstan considered the situation as an attempt to seize the state administration in Nukus.

Following that, on 2 July, the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Karakalpakstan and talked with the Karakalpak people.

In addition, taking into account that the discussion of the changes and additions to the constitution is still ongoing, and after studying the opinions and comments expressed by the people of Karakalpakstan, the president declared that articles 70, 71, 72, 74, and 75 in the current version of the constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan should remain unchanged.

On 4 July, the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (Parliament) of Uzbekistan adopted a decision not to amend the articles of the constitution relating to Karakalpakstan.

During the incidents, 516 people were arrested, 243 injured and 18 killed.  Criminal proceedings were initiated under article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan (infringement of the constitutional order of the Republic of Uzbekistan), part 4 – “Conspiracy to seize government or overthrow the constitutional regime of the Republic of Uzbekistan”.