Islam Karimov facts for kids

Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov (Uzbek: Islom Abdugʻaniyevich Karimov; Russian: Ислам Абдуганиевич Каримов; 30 January 1938 – 2 September 2016) was the leader of Uzbekistan and its predecessor state, the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, from 1989 until his death in 2016. He was the last First Secretary of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan from 1989 to 1991, when the party was reconstituted as the People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (PDP); he led the PDP until 1996. He was the President of the Uzbek SSR from 24 March 1990 until he declared the independence of Uzbekistan on 1 September 1991.

He declared Uzbekistan an independent nation on 31 August 1991 and subsequently won its first presidential election on 29 December 1991, with 86% of the vote. Foreign observers and opposition party cited voting irregularities, alleging state-run propaganda and a falsified vote count, although the opposing candidate and leader of the Erk Liberty Party, Muhammad Salih, had a chance to participate. Karimov's first presidential term was extended to 2000 by way of a referendum, and he was re-elected in 2000, 2007 and 2015, each time receiving over 90 percent of the vote.

Personal life

Karimov married his first wife, Natalya Petrovna Kuchmi, in 1964 and they had a son together, Petr, before divorcing. Karimov's wife, Tatyana Akbarovna Karimova, whom he married in 1967, is of Tajik and Russian origin. She is an economist. They had two daughters and five grandchildren.

His elder daughter Gulnara Karimova is an Uzbekistani diplomat, professor and businessperson. She is the founder and chairperson of The Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan Foundations Board of Trustees and a number of NGOs focused on cultural and social aspects of life in Uzbekistan. However, his first daughter is seen as less than altruistic and allegations that her "organizations" are mere front organizations for her vast business holdings and image propping propaganda are well documented.

It has been reported that since February 2014, Gulnara has been under house arrest. She has been under investigation on charges of corruption, but has said that the "charges against her are politically motivated".

Karimov's second daughter, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, is known in Uzbekistan for her role in promoting education and sports, as well as championing the rights of children. She is the founder of major charity organizations in Uzbekistan: "You are not alone", Republican Social Children's Fund for helping orphans, and Republican Center for Social Adaptation of Children, mainly focusing on disabled children and those from vulnerable groups.

Illness and death

Up until 2016, Karimov's health was never discussed by government officials and any information was closely guarded. There were rumors in March 2013 that he had suffered a heart attack, which were denied.

At approximately 9 a.m. on 27 August 2016, an unconscious Karimov was taken to the Central Clinical Hospital, according to the official medical report by the government of Uzbekistan. He underwent a CT scan that revealed he had suffered a "massive subarachnoid hemorrhage" (stroke). He went into cardiac arrest but cardiac activity was restored after 20 minutes of resuscitation attempts. He was in an "atonic coma with inhibition of the functions of the brain stem" and put on a ventilator. His daughter Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva reported that he was in stable condition at an intensive care ward.

According to the official medical report, numerous experts were consulted on Karimov's condition on 27 and 28 August.

On 29 August 2016, there were unconfirmed reports that he had died that day at 15:30 UZT. On 31 August, Karimova-Tillyaeva cited possible "recovery", thus implying that her father was still alive. On 1 September, the 25th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence, Karimov's speech was read on TV by a presenter. Karimova-Tillyaeva stated that public support was helping him recover and pleaded with the public not to speculate on his condition.

On the morning of 2 September, it was announced that Karimov was in a "critical condition". A few hours later Reuters reported the death of Karimov citing three diplomatic sources. Around 16:00 UZT the Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yıldırım expressed his condolences for the death of Karimov in a televised meeting becoming the first official to confirm the death.

According to the government report, Karimov was in stable neurological condition in a coma, but progressively began to experience multiple organ failure. He suffered another cardiac arrest at 20:15 UZT on 2 September and attempts to resuscitate him failed, and he was pronounced dead at 20:55 UZT (15:55 UTC).

Images for kids

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  Karimov with Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, August 1991

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  Askar Akayev, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Saparmurat Niyazov and Karimov during the CIS meeting c. 1992

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  President Putin with President Karimov at Durmen, the presidential residence in Tashkent, 2000

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  Karimov meets with Donald H. Rumsfeld in the Pentagon on March 13, 2002

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  Karimov on a postage stamp from 2006

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  Karimov and Dmitry Medvedev at a CIS Summit in 2008

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  Lee Myung-bak Karimov held a Korea-Uzbekistan Summit in Seoul, February 2010

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  Uzbek President with Latvian politician Valdis Dombrovskis in 2013

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  U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with President Karimov in Samarkand, on November 1, 2015.

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  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Karimov in Tashkent, 2016

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  Putin and Karimov in Sochi, in 2001

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  Karimov, Karimov's wife Tatyana (right) and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul, 11 February 2010

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  Karimov's wife Tatyana accompanied with her daughter Lola and PM Mirziyoyev met Russian President Putin on 6 September 2016. The absence of Gulnara Karimova is clearly visible, who had fallen from grace a few years earlier.

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  Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev laying flowers at the burial site of Karimov on September 6, 2016

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  Mausoleum of Karimov (pictured in 2018)