Brief Facts on Inspiring Mass Disturbances

Brief Facts on Inspiring Mass Disturbances

- The facts have been revealed that the leaders of the riots received significant logistical and methodological support from abroad in order to organize calls for mass riots through social networks, inciting hatred and distrust of the authorities and propaganda of separatist ideas.

- Ready-made templates of statements aimed at expressing refusal to support the amendment of articles concerning Karakalpakstan were actively distributed. Moreover, they were clearly not written by ordinary Karakalpaks who objectively do not know the dry bureaucratic and legal language. Karakalpaks abroad were offered ready-made transport and money to return to Uzbekistan and participate in rallies.

- Several days before the takeover of the administrative buildings, individual cases of appearances of non-resident persons in Nukus were noted. It is a standard technology of colour revolution, pulling up provocateurs to preliminarily prepared places. 

- Panic mood among the Karakalpak population was spread in advance through social media networks, another example of a well-known methodology of a colour revolution. 

- Statements on social media were publicized that all representatives of law enforcement agencies were siding with provocateurs and for this reason, taking over administrative buildings would be more accessible, and there, they said, there were weapons, and there was something to pillage with. Another example of a colour revolution. 

- Throughout the day and especially in the evening, the crowd was under the influence of alcoholic beverages; this way, before unlawful gatherings, unidentified individuals were handing out free alcohol, various types of stimulants and psychotropic substances in the form of tablets.  

- One-time large influx of individuals to Karakalpak Telegram channels, who incited illegal actions while being outside the country. 

- Mailing fake “shocking” photos to all foreign journalists so that they would unleash a wave of “hype”, another technique employed in colour revolutions. 

- Simultaneously, a number of poetical invocations were posted on social media networks, which distorted the essence of the events taking place. It shows that organizers of the unconstitutional riot studied the anthropological characteristics of the Karakalpak people in advance. So, the locals are historically committed to perceiving poetic proclamations and songs about batyrs. 

- In their populistic invocations, provocateurs skillfully operated with existing socio-economic problems in the region. It shows that they possessed competent information about which populist slogans would resonate with the people of Karakalpakstan. At the same time, skillful manipulation of the problems of the locals shows that those slogans were elaborately prepared with the assistance of sociologists and psychologists. 

- Before unlawful riots, unidentified persons in similar clothes divided the city of Nukus into "sectors" in advance to influence and control the masses. One of the methods of influence was burning tyres and barricading central avenues and bridges, a tactic used during riots in other cities of post-Soviet space. 

- Colour of the clothes of provocateurs let them identify each other but at the same time did not let them be marked by red paint by representatives of law enforcement agencies. This in turn says that provocateurs carefully studied the works of law enforcement agencies in advance. 

- Hiding behind populist slogans, organizers of unrest attempted to take over the government buildings.  

Moving along the streets, rioters caused significant damage to the city's infrastructure, broke the building windows, and set fire. Besides that, several groups attempted to storm the building of the Nukus City Department of Internal Affairs and the National Guard to seize weapons. 

Taking advantage of a significant superiority in numbers, those violent groups attacked the representatives of law enforcement agencies. Rioters have been particularly cruel to people in uniforms. It demonstrates that they were initially charged with violent clashes and did not show any mercy.  

- During the interrogation process, the offenders cannot justify motives and aims for their actions, in general finding it challenging to explain the essence of the events in which they took part, noting that there were no demands and grievances. 

At the same time, many detained persons were under the influence of alcohol; others got into the courage and went along with the crowd. 

- Unfortunately, the events of recent days in Karakalpakstan clearly show that we are still unable to engage in direct civilized dialogues. Instead, aggression and violence were used. 

The people of Karakalpakstan always had and have all the opportunities to be heard and express their opinions and authorities are open to dialogue. That was the very reason for submitting a draft law amending the Constitution for public discussion.