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Uzbek President Islam Karimov Hospitalized

Islam Karimov Kremlin Press Service

The president of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, has been hospitalized, international media reported Sunday.

The president's daughter, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, later announced on her social media page that Karimov had suffered from a brain hemorrhage.

"I would like to write here about the sad events that befell our family last weekend," she wrote on Instagram. "My father was hospitalized after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage on Saturday morning, and is now receiving treatment in an intensive care unit. His condition is considered stable. At the moment it is too early to make any predictions about his future health. My only request to everyone is to refrain from any speculations, and show respect to our family's right to privacy. I will be grateful to everyone who will support my father with prayers," she said.


(Фото из личного архива, Март 2014 г.) Во избежание кривотолков здесь на своей странице я хочу рассказать вам о печальных событиях, которые произошли в нашей семье с моим отцом в минувшие выходные. По причине мозгового кровоизлияния, которое случилось в субботу утром он госпитализирован и находится в реанимационном отделении. Состояние его оценивается как стабильное. На данный момент ещё рано делать какие либо прогнозы относительно его будущего состояния. Я обращаюсь к людям с большой просьбой обойтись без спекуляций и уважать право семьи на "прайвеси" (личное пространство). Я буду очень признательна всем, тем кто изъявит желание и поддержит моего отца своими молитвами. ⬇️(Шаҳсий архивдан сурат, март 2014 й.) Турли хил гап-сўзларнинг олдини олиш мақсадида, бизнинг оилада ўтган хафтанинг охирида содир бўлган қайғули воқеа ҳақида ушбу саҳифам орқали сизга маълумот бермоқчиман. Шанба куни адамлар мияга қон қуйилиш ташхиси билан шифохонага олиб келиндилар. Ҳозир улар реанимация бўлимида тиббий муолажалар олмоқдалар. Ҳозирги пайтда ҳолатлари шифокорлар томонидан стабил деб баҳоланмоқда. Айни пайтда келгусидаги соғлиқлари борасида қандайдир тахминлар қилиш анча эрта. Мен сизлардан турли хил гап-сўзлардан йироқ бўлиб, оиламизнинг шаҳсий ҳаётига хурмат билан муносабатда бўлишингизни илтомос қиламан. Ушбу дамларда отамни ўз дуолари билан қўллаб-қувватловчи барча инсонларга ўзимнинг чексиз миннатдорчилигимни изҳор этаман. (Photo from family archive, March 2014) I would like to write here about the sad events that befell our family last weekend. My father was hospitalised after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage on Saturday morning, and is now receiving treatment in an intensive care unit. His condition is considered stable. At the moment it is too early to make any predictions about his future health. My only request to everyone is to refrain from any speculations, and show respect to our family's right to privacy. I will be grateful to everyone who will support my father with prayers.

A photo posted by Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva (@lola_tillyaeva) on

Karimov was last seen publicly on state television on Aug. 17. He had been expected to appear at Independence Day celebrations in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent on Sept. 1. The day will mark 25 years since the county's independence from the Soviet Union.

“The authorities have never made statements about Karimov's health, not in the 25 years of his presidency,” Daniel Kislov, chief editor of the Fergana news portal, told Russia's Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper. “Now, the cabinet has announced this officially, so the situation must be serious. There's a chance that we could learn about his death a few days after it takes place, as we did with [Leonid] Brezhnev.”

"I don't believe the departure of Karimov will not change anything dramatically," he said. "Authoritarian states do not simply fall apart. Karimov's heir has long been decided on, and shouldn't have any problems. I believe that the current prime minister of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyayev, will take over the job. He is close to the president's family and holds the top-ranking position among the country's elite.”

Karimov, 78, has ruled Uzbekistan for the past 27 years. He first became leader of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1989, and remained in his post after the country gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Karimov's regime has drawn worldwide criticism throughout its history for its brutality, lack of free and fair elections, and neglect of human rights.

In their 2016 World Report, the Human Rights Watch organization said that, in Uzbekistan, “thousands of people are imprisoned on politically motivated charges, torture is endemic, and authorities regularly harass human rights activists, opposition members, and journalists. Muslims and Christians who practice their religion outside strict state controls are persecuted.”

The country was ranked 166 out of 180 on Reporters Without Borders' press freedom index this year.

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