This article analyzes the initial stage of the 1916 uprising by the peoples of Turkestan against the colonial policies of the Russian Empire. Specifically, it considers the imperial decree issued on June 25, 1916, which mandated the conscription of local populations for forced labor on the rear front, as the direct cause of the rebellion. The study examines the emergence of the uprising in specific regions, the response of the local population, and the nature of this popular movement. It argues that the uprising's outbreak was closely connected to local socio-economic problems, national inequality, and the intensification of colonial policies. Additionally, the article discusses government measures taken in the early days of the rebellion. The research is based on historical documents, archival materials, and contemporary historiographical approaches. This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the early phases of the 1916 uprising, a significant turning point in the history of Turkestan.

Turkestan, national uprising, conscription decree, colonial policy, social unrest, armed resistance, popular movement, political repression, historical analysis, national consciousness, struggle for freedom.

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