The Bukhara regional court sentenced 18 participants in last year’s unrest in Karakalpakstan, a republic in northwestern Uzbekistan, to terms ranging from three to 16 years in prison, four defendants were sentenced to restraint of liberty for up to five years, a court spokesman said on Tuesday.
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At the end of November, this court began an open trial of the case on charges of 22 people suspected of organizing and participating in unrest in Karakalpakstan. They were charged under 11 articles of the criminal code, including “encroachment on the constitutional order of the Republic of Uzbekistan”, “riots”, “robbery”, “illegal possession of firearms.” Sanctions under these articles provide for punishment of up to 20 years in prison. Most of the defendants pleaded guilty.
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“The court sentenced 18 defendants to terms of imprisonment from three to 16 years in prison, four defendants were sentenced to restraint of liberty up to five years,” the court spokesman said.
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In particular, the main suspect in the case of the events in Nukus, Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, was sentenced to 16 years in prison, the prosecutor’s office had previously requested 18 years in prison.
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Earlier, the authorities of Karakalpakstan appealed to the court with a request to mitigate the punishment for the participants in the unrest within the framework of the law.
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In December, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Uzbekistan reported that 171 people had been charged with participating in and organizing mass riots in Karakalpakstan, including 22 accused, the criminal case is already being considered in court. In addition, investigative actions in a criminal case separated into a separate proceeding against 39 accused are being completed.
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In Nukus, the administrative center of Karakalpakstan, an illegal demonstration took place on July 1 over amendments to the Uzbek constitution. According to local authorities, a group of organizers of the riots was detained, who tried to seize the authorities of the region. Later, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev introduced a state of emergency in Karakalpakstan from July 3 to August 2, as well as a curfew for the specified period. On July 3, during a conference call with the participation of Mirziyoyev, it was noted that the situation in Karakalpakstan had stabilized and was returning to normal. On July 20, the President signed a decree on the early termination of the state of emergency from July 21.
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According to updated data, 21 people died during the unrest, 274 were injured, 516 were detained, including foreign citizens. Later, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported that 14 people were detained under the article of the Criminal Code “encroachment on the constitutional order.” On July 4, the Uzbek parliament decided to retain the sovereignty status of Karakalpakstan, as the protesters insisted.
