Liberty: the death toll during protests in Karakalpakstan is much higher than the official one

Human rights activist Galym Ageleuov spoke about the observation of the human rights organization Liberty at court hearings in cases related to protests in Karakalpakstan in the summer of 2022. According to him, the death toll is much higher than the official one.

“By this day, there are 50 people whose names and addresses have been established, and there are also those whose personal information has not been established. We ask the government of Uzbekistan, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Human Rights Commission to provide information,” Galym Ageleuov said at a press conference at the Human Rights Bureau in Almaty.

According to the official version of the Uzbek authorities, during the protests in Nukus on July 1 and 2, 2022, 21 people were killed and another 243 people, including law enforcement officers, were injured.

How did the protests develop in Karakalpakstan?

• Protests in the autonomy began after the government of Uzbekistan published a draft of a new constitution for the country, which, if adopted, would not allow the region to hold a referendum on secession from Uzbekistan.

• The country's authorities limited access to the Internet during the protests, and later actually turned it off in the region for two weeks. During the protests, according to official data, more than 20 people were killed, more than 200 people were injured, and hundreds were detained.

• according to a Human Rights Watch report Uzbekistan "unjustifiably" used force during protests in the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, . The organization's report notes that "in none of the incidents identified by Human Rights Watch in which grenades or small arms ammunition were used did the lives of security forces or other individuals appear to be in danger."

• The events in Nukus became the bloodiest since the events in Andijan in 2005. After protests in Karakalpakstan, the government of Uzbekistan removed amendments concerning the republic from the draft constitution.

• After the protests in Karakalpakstan, mass repressions began . In January, “anti-terrorism” raids took place in the republic, during which 132 people who were wanted were detained. During the Anti-Terror Purge raid, 89 thousand houses were searched and another 18,200 objects were checked.

• 22 people are being investigated in a criminal case for “unrest” in Nukus. The prosecution is asking for 18 years in prison for journalist and activist Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov and 11 years in prison for journalist Lolagul Kallykhanova, charged with “organizing riots” and “conspiracy to seize power.”