The Karakalpaks will retain the right to leave the country through a referendum.
in Nukus decided to preserve the autonomy of Karakalpakstan, reports DW with reference to the press service of the legislative body.
“The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoev meetings with deputies of the Dzhokharga Kenes (Supreme Council – ed.) and representatives of the public of Karakalpakstan emphasized the need to take into account all proposals. It is noted that Articles 70-72, 74 and 75 of the Constitution will remain unchanged, and the current norms will remain,” the message says.
Mass protests in the capital of autonomous Karakalpakstan, the city of Nukus, broke out on July 1. Thousands of people took to the streets against the project to change the Constitution of Uzbekistan, which provides for the elimination of autonomy. In this case, the country's largest region would lose the right to secede from Uzbekistan based on the results of a general referendum.
The next day, protesters tried to storm the state administration bodies in Nukus, President Mirziyoyev arrived in the rebellious region and promised not to change the articles of the Constitution regarding the autonomous of the republic, with the exception of Art. 73 on the immutability of its borders.
In clashes between protesters and security forces, 18 people were killed, another 243 were injured and 94 injured were hospitalized, the representative of the General Prosecutor's Office of Uzbekistan Abror Mamatov said. The security forces detained 516 protesters, the NP regime was introduced in the autonomy.
Read also: In Uzbekistan, a mass protest against changes to the country's constitution began
On December 14, 1990, the parliament of the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan as part of the Uzbek The SSR adopted a declaration of state sovereignty, which provided for the full independence of the state.
In 1993, the Uzbek government signed a 20-year interstate agreement with Karakalpakstan on the inclusion of the Republic of Karakalpakstan into Uzbekistan. The agreement stipulates the right of the autonomous republic to withdraw from Uzbekistan through a referendum.
The agreement expired in 2013, but its conditions were not fulfilled. Members of the “Alga, Karakalpakstan” movement are fighting for the independence of Karakalpakstan, many of them are in exile abroad.
