The first results of the investigation allow us to state that the unrest that took place in Nukus on July 1-2, was caused by external forces. This was stated by the head of the National Guard of Uzbekistan, Zafar Alimov, on Wednesday.
"The results of the investigation, which began immediately after the mass riots in Nukus, convincingly prove that they were not accidental and were prepared in advance. At the moment, the secrecy of the investigation does not allow details to be specified, but there are representatives of foreign countries among those detained, who at that moment were in the capital of Karakalpakstan not accidentally", said Alimov at a briefing for foreign and local journalists in Nukus.
Situation in the city
The situation in Nukus has stabilized completely, said Hamidjan Dadobayev, deputy commander of the Uzbek National Guard.
"Thanks to quickly taken countermeasures and explanatory work, the situation in Nukus has stabilised. Catering enterprises, shopping centers, bakeries and markets are operating," Dadobayev said at the briefing. He added that "no violations of public order have been recorded during the past 24 hours."
Dadobayev confirmed that 14 people died during the riots. He said that "of the 14 civilians who were killed, 13 were under the influence of drugs or alcohol".
According to him, 516 protesters were detained. "As the results of [medical] examinations show, many of them were under the influence of psychotropic substances," the deputy commander of the National Guard said.
On July 1-2, there were mass riots in Karakalpakstan under the pretext of disagreement with the region's changed status in the new version of Uzbekistan's constitution. The authorities claimed that citizens had been misled into taking over local government. Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev imposed a state of emergency on the region. The head of state also decided not to amend the basic law, depriving Karakalpakstan of the status of a sovereign republic within Uzbekistan and the right to secede by referendum.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Ds02006/Public Domain
Based on materials from TASS