Deadly riots in Uzbekistan: opening of a new collective trial

The trial in Uzbekistan of some 40 people prosecuted for their alleged involvement in violently repressed protests last summer opened on Monday, a week after a first wave of convictions in this authoritarian country in Central Asia.

According to the Supreme Court, five counts are formulated against the 39 defendants who appear before the court of Bukhara (south-west), including "

", "

" or, the heaviest, "

” punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Investigation opened for excessive use of force

On July 1 and 2, 2022, demonstrations erupted in the Karakalpakstan region to denounce a draft revision of the Constitution which planned to reduce the autonomy of this desert territory, among the poorest in Uzbekistan.

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The repression of the protests had officially caused the death of 21 people, the Internet had been cut off and a state of emergency declared.

The constitutional amendment on Karakalpakstan has since been dropped.

But the list of victims is still not available and the circumstances of the deaths have not been revealed.

In mid-December, the prosecution indicated that 171 people were being prosecuted in this case and that a preliminary investigation for excessive use of force had been opened.

Last Tuesday, 16 defendants were sentenced to between three and 16 years in prison for their involvement in the unrest.

A man sentenced to six years in prison, an official in the Interior Ministry of Karakalpakstan at the time of the clashes and the son of a former local leader, died Saturday in detention of a heart attack, at the age of 45, said the prosecution.

Fundamental freedoms under threat

Came to power in 2016 on the death of his predecessor, the ruthless Islam Karimov, the current Uzbek president, Chavkat Mirzioev, has carried out major economic and social reforms.

Despite progress, Uzbekistan is still accused by NGOs of not respecting fundamental freedoms.

The NGO Human Rights Watch had denounced an "

" by the authorities after checking several dozen videos of the demonstrations.