Uzbek President Proposes to Preserve Constitutional Clause on Karakalpakstan's Sovereignty

TASHKENT (Sputnik) - President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Nukus, the capital of Uzbekistan's autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, where riots took place the day before, and proposed to preserve the clause on the sovereignty of the republic's autonomy in the country's constitution, his spokesman said on Saturday.
Sputnik
"Taking into account the fact that the process of discussing amendments and additions to the constitution is still ongoing, as well as on the basis of studying the opinions expressed by the residents of Karakalpakstan, the president outlined the need to preserve the current editions of Articles 70, 71, 72, 74, 75 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan," Sherzod Asadov wrote on Telegram.
According to the presidential spokesman, Mirziyoyev is now holding a meeting with the republic's parliamentarians and representatives of the older generation of Karakalpakstan.
Organizers of Unrest in Uzbekistan's Nukus Detained, Local Authorities Say
On Friday, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan said that an illegal demonstration was held in the capital of the autonomous republic. The demonstrators demanded the release of a local blogger, who called for a protest against constitutional amendments. Protesters believe that Karakalpakstan may lose its right to secede from Uzbekistan via a referendum if the amendments are adopted.
Discuss