Article author:
Reuters
ALMATY — Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev withdrew plans to reduce the country's Karakalpakstan autonomy on Saturday in response to a rare civilian protest in the northwest, his office said.
Friday's rally was convened to protest a constitutional amendment plan that would change the status of Karakalpacstan, the autonomous republic of the Karakalpac tribe.
According to local and government officials, after some protesters attempted to attack a municipal building in the regional capital, Nux, following a march and rally in the city's central market. , Police disbanded the protesters.
In the current Uzbek Constitution, Karakalpacstan is described as a sovereign republic within Uzbekistan that has the right to leave by hosting a reference dam.
The new version of the Constitution, which Uzbekistan plans to host a reference in the coming months, no longer mentions Karakalpacstan's sovereignty or withdrawal rights.
However, in a swift reaction to the protest, Mirjiyoev said when he visited Karakalpacstan on Saturday that he had to withdraw the change in his status from the proposed reforms, his office work. The place stated in a statement.
The Karakalpacstan government said in a statement early Saturday that police had detained the leader of the protest on Friday and several other protesters who showed resistance. The changes to
Karakalpakstan are part of the broader constitutional amendments proposed by Mirziyoyev, including the strengthening of citizenship and the extension of the presidential term from five to seven years.
If the reform is approved in the planned Referendum, Mirjiyoev's term will be reset and he will be able to carry out another two terms. (Report by Olzhas Auyezov, edited by Gareth Jones and Helen Popper)
