Uzbekistan declared a month-long state of emergency in Karakalpakstan province after 18 people were killed in protests against proposed constitutional amendments regarding an Uzbek province’s autonomous status.
Protests erupted in Nukus, the capital of the autonomous republic of Kakalpakstan, between July 1 and July 2, killing 18 people and injuring at least 243 others, including 38 law enforcement officers, AKIpress News Agency reported.
The General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan said that 516 protesters were detained, and 12 vehicles were impounded during the protests and riots against the government’s proposed constitutional changes that will strip the province of its secession rights.
Uzbekistan’s government has since declared a state of emergency from July 3 to Aug. 2, restricting entry and exit of vehicles in Karakalpakstan and banning peaceful gatherings….