Neitbay Urazbayev, a leader among the Karakalpak diaspora in Kazakhstan, died in an Almaty hospital this week at the age of 54 after suffering a heart attack, according to reports from fellow activists. His death marks a sudden end to a particularly difficult period of pressure that saw him tried and convicted in absentia by … Read more
Neitbay Urazbayev, a Karakalpak activist based in Kazakhstan, appears to have had his Kazakhstani citizenship revoked. Neither Kazakhstan nor Uzbekistan recognizes dual citizenship. In order to obtain Kazakh citizenship, an individual has to formally renounce their previous citizenship. Uzbek law, meanwhile, states that the acquisition of foreign citizenship triggers a loss of Uzbek citizenship, but … Read more
Advertisement “Karakalpakstan is not Uzbekistan,” Aman Sagidullayev, the leader of the Alga Karakalpakstan movement stressed to The Diplomat. Sagidullayev fled his homeland in 2012 for Kyrgyzstan and eventually even farther abroad. His movement’s demand for a referendum on independence in Karakalpakstan was viewed by Tashkent as nothing short of rank separatism. “We Karakalpaks, apart from … Read more