Uzbekistan notifies Karakalpaks about recall of constitution changes via SMS

After Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that the Constitution would not be amended on the status of Karakalpakstan, residents of the region, in which the internet is unavailable, were notified by SMS.

“Subscribers of Uzbekistan’s mobile communication operators, registered in Karakalpakstan, received an SMS in the Uzbek language on July 2 night. According to the message, Articles 70-75 of the Constitution on the status of Karakalpakstan will remain in the current version and will not be changed,” residents of Nukus city told Uzbekistan’s Gazeta.uz.

The information was confirmed by representatives of mobile communication operators.

Internet is still limited in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Many residents said that they could see SMS only on July 3 morning.

President Mirziyoyev, who has recently arrived in Nukus amid unrest, noted that the corresponding articles of the Basic Law will not be changed.

“If the Karakalpaks are dissatisfied, no article will be changed,” the president said at a meeting in Jokargy Kenes (parliament) of Karakalpakstan.

Mobile internet in the region has been practically unavailable since last weekend when the information about draft amendments went viral. The stationary internet was unavailable by the end of this week.

The payment terminals are out of service. Shop sellers give products to people and write down the debts of buyers in a notebook. Nevertheless, it is possible to make a phone call and send and receive SMS.