Listen to the podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to the Central Asia In Focus newsletter here.
Suppressing Karakalpakstan’s Sovereignty
Two years have passed since violence erupted in western Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan Sovereign Republic. In early July 2022, Uzbek law enforcement personnel used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse thousands of Karakalpaks gathered in a peaceful protest in the Karakalpak capital, Nukus, over proposed changes to Uzbekistan’s constitution that would have stripped Karakalpakstan of its nominal status as a sovereign republic and right to conduct a referendum to secede from Uzbekistan. Officially, 21 people were killed, most of them protesters. Since then, Uzbek authorities have imprisoned dozens of Karakalpaks, and Karakalpak activists located in other countries are also facing pressure. Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the topic are Leila Nazgul Seiitbek, a lawyer and chairwoman of the NGO Freedom for Eurasia; Hugh Williamson, the Europe and Central Asia director of Human Rights Watch; and Mynaim, a pseudonym for a Karakalpak activist living outside Uzbekistan. (Note: Mynaim’s comments have been voiced over to protect her identity, family, and friends in Karakalpakstan.)
Episodes
-
December 08, 2024
Violence Against Women Increasing in Central Asia
-
November 24, 2024
Podcast: What Do Central Asians Think About China?
-
November 10, 2024
No Safe Haven In Europe For Central Asian Opposition
-
October 27, 2024
Diving Deep Into Tajikistan's Armed Forces
-
October 13, 2024
Central Asia Pushes Back On Russian Critiques
-
September 29, 2024
Kazakhstan’s Controversial Nuclear Power Vote