FX.co ★ 26 years in power: Islam Karimov’s political life

Uzbekistan confirmed that its President Islam Karimov, who led the republic in various capacities from 1989, has died. He led the gradual transition from a Soviet republic into a nationalist Islamic country, fighting poverty and radicalism. Born in 1938 in Uzbekistan's second-largest city, Samarkand, Karimov became the head of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 1989, and went on to become Uzbekistan's first and so far only president in 1991. In an election, he received the support of 86% of voters. He has since extended his time in office by prolonging the term and getting reelected in 2000, 2007 and 2015.

In winter 1999, there was an attempt upon the life of Karimov. A car rigged with explosives detonated near the government headquarters of Uzbekistan where, as the terrorists believed, a cabinet meeting with participation of Islam Karimov should have had place. As the result, 16 people were killed, around 100 people were injured. Karimov was not hurt.

The diplomatic relations between Russia and Uzbekistan was established on the 20 March 1992. On the 30 May 1992 the Treaty on the fundamentals of international relations, friendship and collaboration was signed.

Photo: First President of Russia Boris Yeltsin and ex-head of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov.

During his administration, Karimov came to Russia on official visits 46 times. More than half of the politicians' trips were made for participation in the meetings of the highest bodies of integration associations.

Photo: Vladimir Putin and Islam Karimov, 1999.

The West did not always treat Karimov favorably - about a decade ago, the president was criticized by foreign colleagues because of the riots that broke out in Uzbek Andijan in May 2005. What is now widely known as the “Andijon massacre" transpired when government forces opened fire on crowds of protesters who had been staging peaceful antigovernment demonstrations in the city for several days. As the result, about 200 protesters were killed and over a hundred rebels received from 10 to 20 years in prison.

EU sanctions against Uzberkistan were imposed in 2005. These included an embargo on arms exports and military training, a visa ban targeting individuals directly responsible for the disproportionate use of force in Andijan, and a suspension of technical cooperation meetings under the PCA (the high-level political dialogue under the PCA remained in place).

In the situation with the suppression of the mutiny, Uzbekistan was supported by Russia and China.

Photo: Islam Karimov and the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.

During the years of his career, Karimov managed to write several books about the economic development of Uzbekistan and, of course, about politics.

Two years ago, the family of the President of Uzbekistan became a participant in a corruption scandal. Gulnara Karimova, the estranged daughter of Uzbekistan's strongman leader Islam Karimov, is facing fresh allegations of corruption after an investigation accused her of accepting more than $1bn from telecoms companies wanting a slice of the lucrative mobile phone industry.

The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (Occrp), run by a group of investigative journalists, reported this week that Karimova had received the money in payments and shares from Scandinavian and Russian telecoms companies including TeliaSonera, Telenor, MTS, and Alfa Telecom.

Photo: Gulnara Karimova

After the death of Islam Karimov, the Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis (upper house of Parliament) Nigmatilla Yuldashev will temporarily perform the duties of the President.