Uzbekistan puts 22 anti-government protesters on trial

Karakalpakstan is dwelling to fewer than two million individuals in a nation of 35 million, but it surely covers greater than a 3rd of Uzbek territory [Al Jazeera]

Uzbekistan has put 22 individuals on trial, accusing them of “undermining constitutional order” by participating in unprecedented anti-government protests in July.

Formally, 21 individuals died within the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan within the protests, sparked by a deliberate change to the structure that may have undermined the area’s proper to self-determination.

The violence in Nukus, the primary metropolis in Karakalpakstan, pressured President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to make a uncommon about-face and scrap the proposal.

Aziz Obidov, the spokesman for the Supreme Court docket of Uzbekistan, confirmed to the AFP information company the trial began on Monday.

Writing on Telegram, Obidov stated “22 individuals” have been within the dock, of whom 20 have been in custody, with one underneath home arrest and one out on bail.

They're accused of a number of offences. Probably the most severe, “undermining constitutional order”, carries a 20-year jail sentence.

Uzbek service members are seen in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan [KUN.UZ/Handout via Reuters]

Journalists are authorised to cowl the trial. Nevertheless, it was introduced solely on Sunday night and takes place in Bukhara, about 600km (370 miles) from each Nukus and Tashkent, the nationwide capital.

Karakalpakstan is dwelling to fewer than two million individuals in a nation of 35 million, but it surely covers greater than a 3rd of Uzbek territory.

Protests erupted in Nukus on July 1 and a pair of over a transfer to take away Karakalpakstan’s proper, underneath the structure, to carry a referendum on self-determination.

Tons of of individuals have been arrested.

‘Overseas forces’

The president accused “international forces” of being behind the unrest, with out additional clarification, earlier than scrapping the proposed adjustments.

Mirziyoyev got here to energy in 2016 after the dying of his predecessor, Islam Karimov.

He has pushed by important financial and social reforms, however his regime is accused by help organisations of trampling on individuals’s primary rights.

In early November, Human Rights Watch stated the authorities “unjustifiably used deadly drive … to disperse primarily peaceable demonstrators” after verifying dozens of movies and images of the protests and victims.