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Mirziyoev Approves New Leader Of Uzbekistan's Autonomous Region Following Deadly Unrest

By RFE/RL's Uzbek Service August 26, 2022

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev has approved a new leader for the Central Asian nation's Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, where 21 people were killed last month during unrest sparked by a move to curtail the region's autonomy.

Mirziyoev attended a session of Karakalpakstan's Supreme Council (Jokargy Kenes) in the regional capital, Nukus, on August 26, where, after his approval, Amanbai Orynbaev was elected as council chairman.

Orynbaev's predecessor, Murat Kamalov, was removed from the post earlier in the day.

On July 1, mass protests broke out in Nukus and other cities in the republic after changes initiated by Mirziyoev were proposed to the Uzbek Constitution, including the removal of language that guaranteed the right of Karakalpakstan to seek independence should its citizens choose to do so in a referendum.

Amid a darkening protest mood in the region, Mirziyoev visited Nukus on July 2, where he publicly backed away from the plans.

The European Union has called for an independent investigation into the violent events in Karakalpakstan at the time.

Karakalpaks are a Turkic-speaking people of Central Asia. Their region used to be an autonomous area within Kazakhstan before becoming an autonomy within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1930 and then part of Uzbekistan in 1936.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-karakalpakstan- new-leader-protests-independence/32006074.html

Copyright (c) 2022. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.