Uzbekistan’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, a Karakalpak lawyer and activist, against a 16-year prison term on charges of sowing unrest and unlawfully pursuing independence for his native Karakalpakstan republic.

The court announced its decision on June 5, barely a month after the hearings opened and two days before the start of a presidential election campaign that is poised to see Shavkat Mirziyoyev maintain his grip on power. Tazhimuratov’s supporters have argued the appeal process was rushed. 

Major Uzbek news outlets mostly ignored the final hearing. News of the appeal verdict was summed up in a dry press release. Representatives of the diplomatic community, including those from countries that have historically pressed Uzbekistan to pursue political and judicial reforms, likewise were not present for the verdict.

Tazhimuratov, 44, who has grown gaunt since his conviction six months, stood apart from his fellow defendants in a glass-and-metal enclosure. While remaining calm for much of the hearing, he managed, before being escorted from the courtroom, to shout: “Alga, Karakalpakstan!” (“Go Karakalpakstan!”).

The deadly protests that took place in July 2022 in Karakalpakstan’s capital, Nukus, were sparked by proposed constitutional amendments that would have stripped the formally autonomous republic of its nominal sovereignty. At least 21 people died and hundreds were injured during the forceful quelling of what started as peaceful demonstrations.

The authorities put the bulk of the blame on Tazhimuratov, accusing him of instigating the turmoil. In January, he was found guilty of an array of grave charges, including a conspiracy to overthrow the constitutional order. He has steadfastly denied all charges of wrongdoing.  

His fellow prisoners, on the other hand, pleaded guilty and asked for forgiveness. Their appeals for clemency appear to have had the requisite effect.

The Supreme Court suspended prison terms for eight of the defendants in the dock and allowed them to return to their homes, and reduced sentences for six others. The judge also rejected the prosecutor’s request to impose real prison terms for four people who were found guilty in January but received restricted liberty penalties.

Tazhimuratov’s younger brother, Renat, who was closely involved in the proceedings, was fatalistic about the court’s decision.

“It was all as expected. It turned out to be a very predictable trial,” he told Eurasianet.

Tazhimuratov’s defense lawyer, Sergei Mayorov, called the Supreme Court ruling unfair but said he too was not surprised.

"This is an absolutely unfair and illegal verdict. It was the will of the authorities, which have dictated to the court how to deal with Dauletmurat. Our courts, even at the level of the Supreme Court, are not independent,” Mayorov said.

Mayorov has said Tazhimuratov will pursue further legal appeals.

The immediate future for Tazhimuratov is grim. He is scheduled to serve at least the first two years of his sentence at a strict prison facility, rather than a penal colony, where conditions are comparatively more favorable. In prisons, inmates are held in communal cells and face restrictions on how much contact they have with relatives.

"Dauletmurat sees this as a test from Allah, and I support him in this," Renat said.