There has been almost no accountability for the deaths and grave injuries that occurred three years ago when security forces in Uzbekistan used unjustified force, including lethal force, to disperse mainly peaceful protesters in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan’s autonomous republic. On July 1 and 2, 2022, nearly two dozen people were killed and over 270 people injured – some of them horrifically – by explosives fired by security forces that detonated near or in contact with protesters.
In August 2023, two police officers were prosecuted for torture and one for perjury and leaving a person in danger resulting in his death in connection with the Karakalpakstan events, but to date no one else has been held accountable for any of the 21 deaths or the many more grave injuries that occurred. The authorities have not acknowledged any responsibility for the excessive use of force.
It’s clear that the Uzbekistan government wants to turn a page on what happened. A parliamentary commission created in July 2022 and tasked by the government with investigating human rights violations during the Karakalpakstan events presented its findings to parliament in December 2024, but has never made its report public.
The government’s narrative is that the protesters were responsible for the violence. A total of 61 people were criminally prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the demonstrations, including the Karakalpak lawyer and blogger Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, who, prior to his arrest, had called for peaceful protests. Tazhimuratov was subsequently sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Authorities have ignored Tazhimuratov’s repeated and credible allegations of ill-treatment and torture while in police and prison custody.
Earlier this year the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) found Tazhimuratov’s detention arbitrary and called on Uzbekistan to release him immediately and pay him reparations.
Uzbekistan should commence a genuinely impartial and effective investigation into the events of July 2022 in Karakalpakstan to ensure accountability for the deaths of protesters and other grave human rights violations. Authorities should also implement the decision of the UN WGAD and release Tazhimuratov immediately.
It is vital that Uzbekistan’s international partners remain focused on the need for accountability for the Karakalpakstan events. Uzbekistan’s economy and society face many challenges but respect for fundamental human rights – including accountability for arbitrary killings by security forces – is the bedrock on which Tashkent’s partners should build long term relations with the country.