Islom Karimov throws a slipper at his daughter Gulnora

In late 2014, family quarrels led Islom Karimov to throw a slipper at his daughter Gulnora during an interview. This incident was recounted by George Krol, the US ambassador to Uzbekistan from 2011 to 2014, in his memoirs.

Krol recalls the incident vividly in his recently published memoir:

"I found myself entangled in a bizarre family issue within the Karimov household. I was working late at the embassy on New Year's Eve when the guard notified me that a visitor was at the gate—Gulnora Karimova, the eldest daughter of Islom Karimov, along with her children. Time seemed to stand still. I received them individually in one of the embassy's reception rooms. Dressed in Versace and Gucci, Gulnora shared a lengthy account of her life and troubles. I listened attentively, provided water for her children, and cautiously inquired about her intentions, concerned she might seek asylum. She spoke of being persecuted by her own family," the former ambassador wrote.

At the end of the grueling two-hour conversation, George Krol recounts that Gulnora Karimova was convinced he could facilitate a meeting with her father. According to the ambassador, Gulnora requested his help in reconnecting with her father.

“According to her, her mother, Tatyana Karimova, her sister, Lola Tillayeva, and Karimov's associates did not permit Gulnora to visit her father. As midnight approached and the new year began, I felt a great sense of relief. I escorted Gulnora and her children to a car waiting outside the embassy and assured her I would do everything possible to facilitate a meeting with her father. The following day, on New Year's Eve, I managed to contact Karimov. Shortly after, Gulnora sent me a joyful message, informing me that a meeting had been arranged. However, I later heard that the meeting ended poorly, with her father throwing a slipper at her. I never saw Gulnora again," says George Krol.

Krol noted that Gulnora had her flaws and that during the interview, she acted dramatically, like an actress. According to his memoir, Gulnora complained about the difficulties of being the president's daughter, including being forced into a marriage she did not want. Krol felt sympathy for her plight, especially upon learning that she was compelled to marry and raise children without leaving home. Additionally, Gulnora expressed regret for rejecting her father's advice to avoid business and politics and to become a diplomat instead.

By November 2013, Gulnora Karimova's decade-long philanthropic and business ventures had come to an end. The organizations she led, including the Fund Forum, were dissolved, and TV and radio channels were shut down amid a wave of arrests. At that time, Gulnara made a series of statements on Twitter, blaming her mother Tatyana Karimova and her sister Lola Karimova for orchestrating these events. She lamented her inability to see her father.