The president of the Central Asian authoritarian country of Uzbekistan said on Sunday that recent anti-government protests in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan (northwest) had caused “victims“.
“Unfortunately, there are casualties among civilians and law enforcement officers“Chavkat Mirziyoyev said during his speech from Karakalpakstan, as quoted by his press service. He did not specify the number of victims, nor did he specify whether they were killed or injured. This is the most serious internal crisis that the President of Uzbekistan has faced since coming to power in 2016.
Two residents of Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, told AFP that a small group protesting for the second night in a row on Saturday night was dispersed by police.
According to these witnesses, who asked to remain anonymous, the police appeared to have used tear gas and smoke grenades.
State of emergency
Uzbekistan, a country where the opposition is brutally repressed, declared a month-long state of emergency on Saturday in Karakalpakstan, which was rocked by a rare anti-government demonstration the day before that forced President Chavkat Mirziyoyev to abandon plans for constitutional changes.
This change would reduce the degree of autonomy of the republic of 2 million people, which is one of the poorest in the country.
The state of emergency came into effect the same day at midnight and will last until August 2.
On Sunday morning, Nukus appeared calm and was being guarded by police, witnesses told AFP.
Coming to power in 2016 after the death of his predecessor, the ruthless Islam Karimov, Chavkat Mirziyoyev implemented major economic and social reforms. Re-elected last year, he is now accused of taking a new authoritarian turn in the country.
With the proposed revision of the Constitution, the presidential term will be changed from five to seven years in favor of the incumbent head of state.
In 2005, hundreds of Uzbek civilians were killed in the city of Andijan (east), during the suppression of the protest movement.
Source: Le Figaro
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