In Uzbekistan, the president stepped down after a rare anti-government demonstration

This is a rare step backwards. Uzbek President Chavkat Mirziyoyev announced on Saturday July 2 that he was abandoning a draft constitutional amendment that would have curtailed the autonomy of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and sparked a rare demonstration by several thousand people.

The plan comes as the desert republic of two million, one of the country’s poorest regions, officially loses its status. “Sovereignty” and the right to a referendum on self-determination.

To explain this change, The press service of Sovkat Mirziyoyev reported this information President Karakalpaksidan held a meeting with the representatives, and the provisions of the constitution regarding the republic will remain unchanged “Based on the views expressed by the people of Karakalpakstan”.

Prior to the announcement, Uzbek authorities announced a series of arrests the day after the anti-government demonstration in the autonomous republic in the west of the country. “A group has been arrested, including riot organizers and those who actively opposed law enforcement”The parliament, government and police of the Republic of Karakalpakstan said in a statement.

A state of emergency was declared

According to them, the suspects tried to seize public buildings during the demonstration in Nukus, the regional capital. Thousands of people have since demonstrated against the constitutional reform plan, which must be approved by a referendum in the coming months.

On Saturday evening, the Uzbek president declared a month-long state of emergency in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan. In a statement published on TelegramThe press service of the Uzbek Presidency explained that the move was targeted “To ensure the safety of citizens” And “The Return of the Rule of Law”.

Among the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, in Uzbekistan, home to about 35 million people, spontaneous demonstrations are rare and illegal.

Friday’s protest was the biggest challenge to President Mirziyoyev’s rule so far. He came to power in 2016 after the death of his predecessor, the ruthless Islam Karimov, who carried out important economic and social reforms. Re-elected last year, he is now accused of taking a new authoritarian turn in the country.

With the proposed constitutional amendment, the term of the president will be increased from five to seven years to the advantage of the current head of state.