41 Facts About Islam Karimov

Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov was an Uzbek politician who served as the first president of Uzbekistan, from the country's independence in 1991 until his death in 2016.

Islam Karimov 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 ; he led the O'zXDP until 1996.

Islam Karimov was the President of the Uzbek SSR from 24 March 1990 until he declared the independence of Uzbekistan on 1 September 1991.

Islam Karimov declared Uzbekistan as an independent nation on 31 August 1991.

Islam Karimov died from a stroke on 2 September 2016, after being president of the country for 25 years.

Islam Karimov ruled a repressive authoritarian regime in Uzbekistan where political opponents were assassinated, human rights were repressed, and dissent was prohibited; however, capital punishment was repealed in 1998.

Islam Karimov was born in Samarkand to Uzbek parents who were civil servants.

Islam Karimov was sent to an orphanage in 1941, brought back in 1942, and then returned to the orphanage in 1945.

Islam Karimov started his career as an engineer, eventually joining the Ministry of Water Resources of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.

In 1986, Islam Karimov assumed the post of first secretary of the Kashkadarya Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan Committee of the Communist Party of the Uzbek SSR.

On 31 August 1991,10 days after the attempted coup in Moscow, Islam Karimov declared Uzbekistan to be an independent republic, the second of the Central Asian republics to do so ; 1 September was declared Uzbekistan's Independence Day.

Uzbekistan under the Islam Karimov government was classified as a hard authoritarian state.

In 1995, a few months before Islam Karimov's term was due to expire, his term was extended until 2000 through a referendum.

At the time, Islam Karimov publicly stated that he considered the referendum to be a re-election to a second term, which under the Constitution would have required him to leave office in 2000.

However, the legislature passed a resolution opposing the decision, leading Islam Karimov to announce he would run for reelection in 2000.

Islam Karimov took fewer foreign visits, especially to the West, in comparison to his Kazakh counterpart.

The Islam Karimov government required universities to serve a strictly pedagogical purpose and not as a branch of civil society; they had to provide students with skills for the workplace without an emphasis on the skill of critique of public issues.

Islam Karimov led a crackdown on Adolat, a league of Muslim activists.

In 2005 Islam Karimov banned the Muslim call to prayer from being broadcast in the country; the ban was lifted in November 2017 by his successor, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Islam Karimov sought another term in the December 2007 presidential election, despite arguments that he was ineligible because of the two-term limit on the presidency.

On 6 November 2007, Islam Karimov accepted the nomination of the Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party to run for a third term.

However, observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe criticized the election as lacking a "genuine choice", while others deemed the election, a "political charade", given that all three of Islam Karimov's rivals began their campaign speeches by singing Islam Karimov's praises.

Islam Karimov was reelected for a new term in the 2015 presidential election.

Islam Karimov was courted by the big powers for geopolitical leverage and Uzbekistan's gas supplies, but he kept all at arms' length, suspicious of Russia's post-colonial aims and the US-led "democratization" agenda.

The Islam Karimov government charged each publication on the grounds of being "disloyal to the current regime".

In December 1995, Islam Karimov was quoted in describing local journalists as "toothless".

Islam Karimov had essentially called for more criticism in printed material, but only "approved" criticism.

In May 2002, the Islam Karimov administration lifted the pre-publication censorship, and fined the chief censor, Ervin Kamilov.

In 2015, Islam Karimov came under widespread criticism when he was elected to a fourth term in office from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Islam Karimov believes that the attacks were a pretext to repress dissenters.

Islam Karimov married his first wife, Natalya Petrovna Kuchmi, in 1964 and they had a son together, Petr, before divorcing.

Islam Karimov's elder daughter Gulnara Karimova is an Uzbekistani diplomat, professor and businessperson.

Islam Karimov 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.

Islam Karimov has been under investigation on charges of corruption, but has said that the "charges against her are politically motivated".

Islam Karimov 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.

At approximately 9 am on 27 August 2016, an unconscious Islam Karimov was taken to the Central Clinical Hospital, according to the official medical report by the government of Uzbekistan.

Islam Karimov underwent a CT scan that revealed he had suffered a "massive subarachnoid hemorrhage".

Islam Karimov went into cardiac arrest but cardiac activity was restored after 20 minutes of resuscitation attempts.

Islam Karimov was in an "atonic coma with inhibition of the functions of the brain stem" and put on a ventilator.

Islam Karimov laid a bouquet of red roses, prayed beside his grave, and met Karimov's wife.

Islam Karimov laid roses to Karimov's grave, met his wife, and held talks with Interim President Mirziyoyev.