Bullet casings were found in Nukus. The National Guard comments on the situation

On social networks, videos showing the discovery of bullet sleeves shot from firearms where mass riots took place in the city of Nukus on 1-2 July of this year have spread. Videos say that the bullet sleeves were “remnants of ammunition which killed civilians during peaceful protests”.

The National Guard of Uzbekistan reacted to these reports, noting that the videos do not show dead people.

“We, therefore, state that these reports are fake.  At the media briefing, the representatives of the National Guard clearly specified when live ammunition is used, but they were not used here”, the statement said.

According to National Guard, only special means - light, noise, and smoke - were used to disperse the crowd and suppress the riots.

“It should be clarified that the bullets of cartridges filled with pyrotechnics are fired from a Kalashnikov rifle with a special four-charge nozzle.  Of course, for the use of such special tools blank cartridges are put in the rifle.  Some citizens who discovered remnants of such devices used to disperse crowds sought to disseminate provocative video messages on social media. However, there are legal bases for the use of weapons by law enforcement officers in such situations”, - the National Guard said.

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”.