TASHKENT (TCA) — Amid official announcement of Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov’s illness and unconfirmed rumors of his death, an Uzbek state television anchor in the evening of August 31 read out an Independence Day address traditionally delivered by the President.
The address was read out in the first person as if written by Karimov, in what appeared to be an effort to indicate that he remains in charge.
The address pointed out Uzbekistan’s economic and social achievements during 25 years of independence. The news program gave no information on the President’s health condition.
The address came just hours after Karimov’s younger daughter suggested via social media that her 78-year-old father remained alive, and might recover, following what she said earlier was a brain hemorrhage, RFE/RL reported.
The government announcement on August 28 said only that he had been hospitalized and that treatment would take “a certain period of time.”
In the absence of official news since then, speculation has raged that a secretive effort is under way to replace the Uzbek head of state.
Statements posted on daughter Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva’s verified accounts on Instagram and Facebook on August 31 thanked the public for “kind words of support and best wishes.” “Your heartfelt good wishes are helping in his recovery,” the texts, in Uzbek, Russian, and English, said, countering unconfirmed reports that the President was dead.
Opposition and independent websites published unconfirmed reports on August 29 that Karimov had died. Russian news agencies, meanwhile, quoted unnamed sources in Tashkent denying the reports of Karimov’s death.
