On July 5, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to the United States Javlon Vakhabov held an online meeting with Hugh Williamson, director of the European and Central Asian division of the American organization Human Rights Watch in Berlin.
According to the Embassy, during the meeting, the representative of the human rights organization was explained in detail the essence of the constitutional reforms and the significance of the proposed amendments to the Constitution; measures taken to ensure an open process for public comment on the amendments. The true causes of the unrest in Karakalpakstan, the goals pursued by the instigators, the criminal acts committed by them, as well as their consequences, were reported. Separately, the measures taken by the Government to stabilize the situation in the region were disclosed. The motives for introducing a state of emergency in the region were also indicated.
Hugh Williamson thanked for the openness of the Government of Uzbekistan to dialogue on this issue and welcomed the determination to conduct a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the circumstances of the incident. The representative of Human Rights Watch again noted that further actions to overcome the consequences of the unrest will be a decisive test for democratic reforms in Uzbekistan.
The representative of the human rights organization also emphasized the importance of resuming full access to the Internet in Karakalpakstan, which, according to him, will allow for the possibility of communication between people and the free flow of information. According to H. Williamson, this will also help stop the spread of various kinds of rumors.
