Pre-Crisis Phase (August 31, 1991-December 16, 1997): Uzbekistan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 31, 1991. Uzbekistan joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on December 21, 1991. The Supreme Assembly banned the Unity (Birlik) nationalist group on December 9, 1992. President Islam Karimov of the Uzbekistan People’s Democratic Party (O’zbekistan Xalq Demokratik Partiyasi – OXDP) was re-elected with 86 percent of the vote in a referendum on December 29, 1992. A constitution was adopted on December 8, 1992. The Independence Path (Ishtiqlal Yoli – IY) was established by Shadi Karimov in Tashkent on June 12, 1994. Legislative elections were held between December 25, 1994 and January 22, 1995, and the OXDP won 69 out of 83 contested seats in the Supreme Assembly. The Progress of the Fatherland (Vatan Tarrakiyets – VT) won 14 seats in the Supreme Assembly. President Karimov’s term was extended for three additional years in a referendum on March 26, 1995. Otkir Sultonov was elected prime minister by the Supreme Assembly on December 21, 1995.
Crisis Phase (December 17, 1997-present): Government troops and Islamic militants (members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan – IMU) clashed in Namangan in the Ferghana valley on December 17, 1997, resulting in the deaths of three government soldiers and one militant. Seven government policemen were killed by Islamic militants in the Ferghana valley in January 1998. Some 18,000 Uzbek refugees were in Russia in December 1998. Islamic militants exploded several bombs in Tashkent on February 16, 1999, resulting in the deaths of 16 individuals. Several thousand individuals were arrested and imprisoned for their involvement in the Tashkent bombings. In June 1999, six individuals were sentenced to death for their involvement in the February 1999 bombings. Government police and Islamic militants clashed near Yangiabad on November 15, 1999, resulting in the deaths of four militants, three civilians, and three government policemen. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) established a limited assessment mission consisting of 19 individuals from eleven countries headed by Madeleine Wilkens of Sweden to examine the political conditions in the country beginning on November 18, 1999. Government troops attacked Islamic militants near Yangiabad on November 29, 1999, resulting in the deaths of 14 militants and two government soldiers. Legislative elections were held on December 5-19, 1999, and the OXDP won 48 out of 250 seats in the Supreme Assembly. The Self Sacrifice National Democratic Party (Fidorkorlar Milliy Demokratik Partiyasi-FMDP) won 34 seats in the Supreme Assembly. The OSCE/ODIHR mission criticized the legislative elections on December 6, 1999, suggesting that the “commitments for a free, fair, equal, transparent and accountable election were breached.” President Islam Karmov was re-elected with some 92 percent of the vote on January 9, 2000. In January 2000, six individuals were executed for their involvement in the February 1999 bombing. The European Union (EU) condemned the Uzbekistan government for the executions on January 31, 2000. The OSCE/ODIHR mission issued their final report on April 28, 2000. Government troops and Islamic militant clashed in southeastern Uzbekistan in August 2000. The US pledged to increased military assistance to the government on September 27, 2000. Takhir Yuldash and Jumaboy Khojayev, leaders of the IMU, were sentenced to death for treason in November 2000. President Karimov’s term was extended from five years to seven years in a referendum held on January 27, 2002. Some 47 individuals, including 33 Islamic militants, were killed in suicide bombings and attacks in Bukhara, Kakhramon, and Tashkent on March 28-31, 2004. Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary-General Abdeouahed Belkeziz condemned the bombings on March 31, 2004. Twenty-three Muslim businessmen in Andijan were arrested and accused of belonging to the Islamic extremist organization, Akramia Group. Suicide bombers attacked the Israeli and U.S. embassies in Tashkent on July 30, 2004, resulting in the deaths of two Uzbek security guards. Legislative elections were held on December 26, 2004 and January 9, 2005, and the Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party (O’zbekistan Liberal Demokratik Partiyasi-OLDP) won 41 out of 120 seats in the lower chamber of the Supreme Assembly. The OXDP won 28 seats in the lower chamber of the Supreme Assembly. The CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly sent 78 observers to monitor the legislative elections from November 30 to December 29, 2004. The OSCE/ODIHR established a limited election observation mission consisting of 21 observers headed by Lubomir Kopaj of Slovakia to monitor the legislative elections from December 1 to December 27, 2004. Armed insurgent attacked a prison (which housed twenty-three jailed Muslim businessmen who had been accused of belonging to an Islamic extremist group) and government buildings in Andijan on May 12, 2005. Government troops violently suppressed the uprising in Andijan on May 13, 2005, resulting in the deaths of several hundred individuals (including ten government soldiers) and the displacement of some 500 individuals. Eight government soldiers were killed by insurgents near Tefektosh near the Kyrgyzstan border on May 15, 2005. Islamic insurgents seized control of the town of Korasuv on May 18, 2005, but government troops took control of the town on May 16, 2005. The European Union (EU) imposed military sanctions (arms embargo) and economic sanctions (travel ban) against the government on October 3, 2005. On November 14, 2005, fifteen individuals were convicted and sentenced to prison terms for their involvement in the Andijan uprising in May 2005. On December 5 & 21, 2005, another 100 individuals were convicted and sentenced to prison terms for their involvement in the Andijan uprising in May 2005. Switzerland imposed military sanctions (arms embargo) against the government on January 31, 2006. President Karimov was re-elected with 91 percent of the vote on December 23, 2007, and he was inaugurated for a third term on January 16, 2008. The OSCE/ODIHR established a Limited Election Observation Mission (LEOM), consisting of nine election experts and 12 observers, in Uzbekistan on December 5, 2007. The EU lifted military sanctions (arms embargo) against the government on October 28, 2009. Switzerland lifted military sanctions (arms embargo) against the government on November 5, 2009. Legislative elections were held on December 27, 2009 and January 10, 2010, and the OLDP won 53 out of 135 contested seats in the lower chamber of the Supreme Assembly. The OXDP won 32 seats in the lower chamber of the Supreme Assembly. The CIS sent 84 observers headed by Sergei Lebedev of Russia to monitor the legislative elections beginning on December 22, 2009.
[Sources: Associated Press (AP), November 29, 1999, December 5, 1999, January 10, 2000; Banks and Muller, 1998, 1000-1004; British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), September 27, 2000, May 14, 2005, May 17, 2005, September 21, 2005, October 3, 2005, December 3, 2005, December 5, 2005, December 21, 2005, November 13, 2006, May 16, 2007, December 23, 2007, December 24, 2007, January 16, 2008, October 27, 2009; Christian Science Monitor (CSM), April 1, 2004, April 7, 2004; Embassy of Uzbekistan to the U.S. in Washington DC press release, December 22, 2009; European Union (EU) press release, January 28, 2000; Keesing’s Record of World Events, June 1994, December 1999; New York Times (NYT), March 29, 2004, March 31, 2004, May 13, 2005, May 15, 2005, October 3, 2005, October 4, 2005, October 28, 2009; Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) press release, March 31, 2004; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly (PA)/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) press release, November 22, 1999, December 2, 2004, December 27, 2004; OSCE/ODIHR report, April 28, 2000; OSCE/ODIHR statement, December 6, 1999; Reuters, November 16, 1999, November 24, 1999, November 30, 1999, December 6, 1999, January 10, 2000, January 31, 2000; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), December 23, 1997, April 21, 1998, February 16, 1999, March 12, 1999, July 1, 1999, January 7, 2000, January 11, 2000, August 9, 2000, November 23, 2000, January 31, 2006, January 31, 2006; Reuters, March 29, 2004, December 27, 2004; The Guardian (London), May 15, 2005.]