Uzbekistan has put 22 people on trial, accusing them of “undermining constitutional order” by taking part in unprecedented anti-government protests in July.
Hundreds of people were arrested and 21 people died during the protests, sparked by a planned change to the constitution that would have undermined the region’s right to self-determination.
The protest forced President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to make a rare about-face and scrap the proposal, after accusing unspecified "foreign forces" of being behind it.
The trial will start on Monday and the protesters are accused of several offences—the most serious, "undermining constitutional order" carries a 20-year jail sentence.
Mirziyoyev's regime is accused by organizations, including Human Rights Watch as recently as early November, of trampling on people's basic rights.
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