Human Rights

This joint submission by Access Now and Freedom for Eurasia to the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) assesses Kyrgyzstan’s human rights record, focusing on freedom of expression and related rights. The report highlights Kyrgyzstan’s intensified efforts to control independent media and online spaces through repressive legislation, including the Law on Protection from […]

For the 49th Session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group, April – May 2025 This joint submission by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Freedom for Eurasia (FFE), and the Free Russia Foundation to the Universal Periodic Review Working Group focuses on Kyrgyzstan’s compliance with international human rights obligations related to freedom of expression

On July 1-2, 2022, a violent unrest occurred in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan. The turmoil was sparked by proposed constitutional amendments that aimed to reduce Karakalpakstan’s autonomy, including removing its right to secede from Uzbekistan. This proposal triggered widespread protests as residents of Karakalpakstan felt their regional identity and

Mambetjunus Abylov – house arrest – 20 years Akylbek Aitbaev – house arrest – 20 years Aidanbek Akmatov – in pre-trial detention center – 20 years Nurlan Asanbekov – house arrest – 20 years Marat Bayazov is in a pre-trial detention center – 20 years Atay Beyshenbek – house arrest – 20 years Azimbek Beknazarov

Freedom for Eurasia had access to Karakalpakstan’s regional court decisions from 2022, 2023, and 2024 concerning articles of the Code of Administrative Responsibility of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The investigations focused on the following articles: Article 201  , “Violation of the procedure for organizing, holding meetings, rallies, street marches or demonstrations”; Article 201¹, “A public

Introduction: Smoke grenades and rubber bullets fired by security forces, deadly attacks by police officers. Videos on the Internet still show the brutality of the unrest that shook Uzbekistan at the beginning of July, 2022. Several thousand people took to the streets in Nukus, the capital of the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan,