Uzbekistan's first US ambassador reveals how Karimov used exile, intimidation, and erasure to destroy his own officials
Bobur Malikov, who held some of the highest offices in early post-Soviet Uzbekistan — Supreme Court Chairman, Minister of Justice, and the country's first ambassador to Washington — describes a calculated pattern of demotion engineered by Islam Karimov. His ambassadorship, he argues, was not a genuine appointment but a form of internal exile: the embassy had no staff, no driver, and no resources, and his posting was never announced in the Uzbek press. He presented credentials to President Clinton but operated in deliberate obscurity.
Malikov's defection in October 1993 was meticulously planned. Using a fabricated one-week holiday as cover, he was escorted to Tashkent airport by trusted contacts, flew to Samara and then Moscow, arriving during Yeltsin's shelling of the parliament building. From Moscow he obtained a Delta Airlines ticket and flew via Frankfurt to Washington, where his family awaited. He claims to have been the first high-ranking post-Soviet official granted US political asylum — approved without a formal hearing, with the only question being whether he was a communist.
The interview contains pointed accusations about Karimov's character and governance. Malikov alleges Karimov routinely phoned subordinates late at night to insult and berate them, shut down 102 industrial enterprises including factories that generated significant national revenue, and systematically destroyed the five officials who had publicly recommended him for leadership — elevating each briefly before removing them within a year or two. He also raises questions, disputed and unverified, about Karimov's ethnic background, paternity, and mental fitness, citing unnamed reviewers who described him as having a psychological illness.
On his own record, Malikov presents himself as a rule-of-law reformer who resisted Karimov's interference: he registered the Erk opposition party within a single day, pushed back against pressure to block Birlik's registration on procedural grounds (ultimately declining registration due to falsified membership lists), and as Supreme Court Chairman rehabilitated nearly 3,000 people convicted in cotton-quota cases — a process whose credit, he says, Karimov appropriated entirely.
Looking at the present, Malikov acknowledges that President Mirziyoyev reached out through embassies inviting exiled figures to return, and extended guarantees to at least one opposition figure living abroad. He is cautiously sceptical, noting that genuine opposition no longer exists inside Uzbekistan after 27 years of Karimov's rule, and singles out Muhammad Solih as the only opposition politician he considers principled. After 33 years in exile, Malikov says legal and property obstacles still block his return.
Bobur Malikov — former Uzbek Supreme Court Chairman, Minister of Justice, and first ambassador to the US — recounts how Islam Karimov systematically demoted and ultimately exiled him as a disguised diplomatic posting with no staff or resources. He defected to the United States in 1993 during the Moscow constitutional crisis, later receiving political asylum. The interview spans Karimov's authoritarian methods, Malikov's own tenure reforming the justice system, and his assessment of post-Karimov Uzbekistan.
Bobur Malikov 33 yildan beri O'zbekistondan tashqarida yashamoqda va Toshkentda qaytishga qonuniy va mulkiy to'siqlar mavjud deb hisoblaydi
Alisher Mardiyev qonunsiz ravishda adliya vaziri bo'lib turib Mehrixon nomidagi uyni egalladi
Bobur Malikov was the first extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Uzbekistan to the United States.
Bobur Malikov previously served as Chairman of the Supreme Court and Minister of Justice of Uzbekistan.
Karimov gradually demoted Malikov from his positions over time.
Malikov was sent to the US as ambassador as a form of exile, not a genuine diplomatic appointment — the embassy had no staff, no driver, and no resources.
Karimov's main motive for destroying Malikov was to erase the name and legacy of Yo'ldosh Oxinboboyev, whose grandson Malikov is.
Malikov presented his credentials to President Clinton in June, as evidenced by a photograph displayed in his home bearing Clinton's signature.
The Uzbek press never announced or reported on Malikov's appointment as ambassador to the US.
Malikov denied embezzling embassy funds, stating he was never in charge of the money — his deputy and staff controlled embassy finances.
When Karimov visited Washington, he met with people there but completely ignored Malikov and then publicly berated him loudly on the plane home.
After being removed as ambassador, Malikov was appointed deputy chairman of the State Control Committee (Xalq nazorat qo'mitasi) under Mirqosov.
Avazxon Muxtorov told Malikov that authorities had placed militia officers to arrest him if he came to visit his sick uncle in Marg'ilon.
Malikov travelled from Tashkent to Samara, then to Moscow, holding a diplomatic ambassador's passport.
Malikov arrived in Moscow during the October 1993 crisis when Yeltsin attacked the parliament building, which was full of soldiers.
Malikov's friend Vodinski was a boxer who had been a Soviet national team member and European champion.
Malikov flew from Moscow via Frankfurt to Washington DC, where his children were waiting for him.
Malikov was the first high-ranking official from a post-Soviet state to seek political asylum in the United States.
The US State Department backed Malikov's asylum claim; his political asylum was granted without a court hearing or formal interrogation — the only question asked was whether he was a communist.
Malikov answered the communist question by clarifying he had been a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan, not an ordinary communist.
As Minister of Justice, Malikov registered the Erk party within a single day after Muhammad Solih and Shuhrat Ismatullayev came to apply.
Karimov pressured Malikov not to register Birlik, telling him specifically how to block it, to which Malikov responded that Karimov himself had signed the law and Malikov was obliged to implement it.
Karimov regularly insulted and swore at his subordinates by telephone, often late at night around 10 pm.
Karimov could not easily intimidate physically imposing men; exceptions included Shuhrat Yo'ldosh and Shavkat Yo'ldoshov
Malikov told Karimov directly during a phone call to stop insulting him and threatened to come in person and challenge him physically if Karimov had the courage.
Bobur Malikov stated he would write all his decisions in a resolution, listing what the party could and could not do
Abdurahim Polatov died two years before the time of recording
Under the law, a party and a movement cannot share the same name 'Birlik'; one had to be renamed
Bobur Malikov's staff called Andijan and were told the streets and house numbers on the registration list did not exist
When Malikov was Minister of Justice, the Ministry was relocated to a building near Amir Temur Boulevard, which was renovated
A senior minister told Karimov that Malikov's work at the Ministry of Justice was 10 times better than comparable ministries in Russia and Ukraine
Two department heads, Anatoli Makarovich Belogzov and Rano Yunus Karimova, publicly stated at a meeting with Prime Minister Mutalov that Malikov was the strongest minister since the Ministry of Justice was established
Bobur Malikov asserts that Islam Karimov was not a suitable or worthy leader, and that Uzbekistan suffered under his 27-year rule
Five people recommended Karimov for leadership, including Mufti Muhammad Sodiq Muhammad Yusuf, editor Ahmadjon Muxtorov, Said Qosim Mirqosimov, Solijon Mamarasulov, and Erkin Yusupov
Karimov raised all five recommenders to high positions and then had each of them removed or destroyed within a year to a year and a half
When Karimov was being appointed, there were two days of unusually cold weather, which Malikov interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure
Islam Karimov became First Secretary on June 23, 1989
Bobur Malikov suspects Karimov was not ethnically Uzbek; his registered father's name was Abdug'ani Jugo, meaning 'loli' (a craftsman who made stone bowls), suggesting a different ethnic background
Karimov's father Abdug'ani was in prison when Islam Karimov was born, raising questions about his paternity, and the child was handed over to an orphanage
Karimov did not speak Uzbek at first and spoke in Tajik; both of his wives were Russian women
Karimov shut down 102 industrial enterprises including textile, aviation, and tractor factories
Ismoil Jurabekov told Karimov that the aviation factory produced 25% of Uzbekistan's revenue and should be preserved, but Karimov closed it the very next day
Those who reviewed Karimov's case materials described him as having a paralytic or mental illness ('paraloyik kasal, ruhiy kasal')
Karimov publicly insulted subordinates including Adxbek Filbekov in his own office in front of three or four other staff members
Karimov instructed that no government officials should attend the funeral of his own brother who died in a car accident
When Karimov was being considered for Communist Party membership, the raikom flagged that his father had been convicted and suggested investigation; Karimov immediately went to Samarkand and beat his father
There is a rumor that Bobur Malikov took money from the embassy when he left; he disputes this, saying there was only about 40,000 in the embassy at the time, which was staff salaries held by his deputy
Bobur Malikov is 10 years younger than Islam Karimov; Karimov was born in 1938 and Malikov in 1948
Karimov Bobur Malikovi mamlakatga kiritmaslik va kelsa ushlab qamoqqa olish haqida ko'rsatma bergan
Mirziyoyev hokimiyatga kelgandan keyin elchixonalar orqali Bobur Malikonga O'zbekistonga qaytish taklifini yuborgan
Mirziyoyev Kamoliddin Rabbimovga Fransiyada 15 yil yashaganidan keyin O'zbekistonga qaytish uchun kafolat bergan
Mirziyoyev muxolifatga qo'lini cho'zdi, lekin haqiqiy muxolifat O'zbekistonda qolmagan
Muhammad Solih muxolifatchilar ichida yagona madaniyatli va insofli siyosatchi
Karimov Mingboyevga telefon qilib buyruq bera olardi, Bobur Malikova esa bo'lmasdi — shu sababli Malikovi Oliy sud raisligidan olib tashladi
Bobur Malikov Oliy sud raisi sifatida paxta ishlari bo'yicha qamalgan oddiy dehqonlar va brigadirlarga nisbatan jazo miqdorini kamaytirgan va ularni ozod qilgan
Oliy sud plenumi qaror qabul qilib 3000 ga yaqin odamni reabilitatsiya qildi va ularning mol-mulki, orden va medallarini qaytargan
Bobur Malikov O'zbekistondan chiqib ketgandan keyin uning uyida tintuv o'tkazildi va bir nechta shaxsiy xatlar topildi
Bobur Malikov Oliy sud raisi bo'lgan paytda Nor Muhammad Jo'rayevich Musaxonovni oqlagan, lekin uning siyosiy huquqlarini tiklash uchun Karimovning o'ziga murojaat qilish kerakligini aytgan
Bobur Malikovi Israildan sobiq o'qituvchisi Zinov Rimuch xat yuborib Toshkentga chaqirib leksiya o'qishni so'ragan
Rumours circulated that Malikov had embezzled all the embassy's funds after defecting.
The party registration list submitted contained falsified entries: the same name appeared multiple times with variations, and addresses in Andijan were found to be non-existent
Karimov reabilitatsiya ishlarining haqiqiy muallifligi bo'lgan Oliy sudni emas, barcha yaxshiliklarni o'z nomiga ko'chirib oldi
Host Bobur Malikovi muxolifatchi emas, balki mustaqil davlat arbobi sifatida taqdim etadi va uni Oliy sud raisi darajasidagi taniqli siyosat arbobi deb ataydi
Malikov warned his wife that if he called and said 'come,' she should come, but if he said something slightly differently, she should wait.
Malikov used the pretext of a one-week holiday to leave, was escorted to the airport at night by two of Goga Hidoyatov's daughters, and flew from Tashkent to Samara.
A contact arranged a Delta Airlines ticket for Malikov from Moscow to New York, allowing him to flee to the US.
Temur Alimov told Bobur Malikov to restrain himself before entering the office, saying 'qadam bossam to'xtaadi' (he stops when I take a step)
Bobur Malikov stated his full TV interview was cut short, but after he complained to Karimov, the full text was broadcast that same evening
Bobur Malikov Karimov nomiga paxta ishi mahkumlarini oqlash haqida rasmiy xat tayyorlatib, uni Karimovga shaxsan topshirgan
“so'kmang bola onadan”
“biz mana shu yerda Adliya vazirligi tashkil etilgandan berin ishlayapmiz shu lavozimlardan biz ikasmiz kollegi azalarimiz lekin Malikovdan Malikovdan bo'lmagan, bo'lmaydi, bo'lmagan, bo'lmaydi va kelgisid ham kutmaymiz shunaqa kuchli vazir bo'lgan deb”
“Biz bu bilan chiqishga qo'rqqanmiz. Bir joyga borish nima qilish orqandan kelib urardi”
“Mana men davlat rahbari bo'lib keldim. Ismatjonga topshiriq beringlar muxolifat bilan gaplashsin debdi prezident”
“Aytim eya bo'lmasamchi mayli qilaverish shu ishni dedida”
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