MPs from Karakalpakstan send an appeal to Mirziyoyev regarding the riots

The MPS of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Karakalpakstan appealed to the president of Uzbekistan with a request to pardon those who had organized mass riots in the city of Nukus on 2 July.  The newspaper “New Uzbekistan” reported this.

As it was reported earlier today, 20 July, the XXXI meeting of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Karakalpakstan was held.

At the meeting, the issue of approving the appeal of MPs to the president of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the abolition of the state of emergency introduced in the territory of the Republic of Karakalpakstan on 2 July and pardoning innocent citizens, in particular young people, who are suspected of rioting was discussed.

It is noted that MPs, activists of districts, khokims (governors) of districts, expressed their reaction to the events that have occurred and expressed their thoughts about the current mood of the people of Karakalpakstan.

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”.