Uzbekistan on Saturday announced a month-long state of emergency in an autonomous republic where rare protests forced President Shavkat Mirziyoyev into a climbdown on constitutional reforms.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s press secretary Sherzod Asadov wrote on a social media site that the state of emergency in the Republic of Karakalpakstan would run from just after midnight on Sunday to August 2.

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According to the statement, the measure was being taken to “ensure the safety of citizens, protect their rights and freedoms (and) restore law and order” in the territory.

On Saturday, Uzbekistan’s president had arrived in Karakalpakstan and promised that proposed constitutional amendments that would have weakened the territory’s status would be scrapped.

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Earlier on Saturday, authorities said that they had arrested “organisers of mass riots” who wanted to seize administrative buildings in the administrative capital Nukus, which witnessed rare protests over constitutional reform proposals.

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The demonstration on Friday brought thousands onto the streets of the regional capital after draft amendments to the Uzbek constitution were published, which are expected to go to referendum in the coming months.

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Although the tightly controlled government has made no mention of casualties, Telegram accounts have circulated footage that suggests fatalities occurred during the police crackdown.

Internet access has been restricted in the territory during the last week and at least one private media outlet deleted an article about the changes to Karakalpakstan’s status shortly after publishing it.