Human rights campaigners in Uzbekistan say that as many as 500 people may have been killed when troops fired on thousands of protesters in the town of Andizhan yesterday.
No official death toll has been released, and journalists who saw several dead bodies left the town today after a warning from security services.
Meanwhile, a pan-Islamist party has denied that it was behind the violence. following accusations by the Uzbek President, Islam Karimov.
Mr Karimov has been accused of using the threat of Islamic extremism to enforce his authoritarian rule.
President Islam Karimov also told a news conference in the capital Tashkent that only 20 people were killed in the shooting.
Meanwhile, thousands of protesters have reappeared on the streets of the city of Andijan that were the scene of yesterday's violence.
Yesterday's unrest began when armed men stormed a jail and freed prisoners, including 23 local men who are on trial for Islamic extremism.
Troops then fired on demonstrators who gathered in the main square to protest at Mr Karimov's authoritarian rule.
The crowds have been holding peaceful protests demanding the resignation of Mr Karimov for the past week.
