UN claims Karimova, imprisoned under Karimov, was tried in a kitchen

On July 8, Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, and former Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Fund Forum, turned 53.

The birthday of Ms. Karimova, who has been imprisoned for many years and whose circumstances remain largely unknown to the public, was not marked by congratulatory messages on social media as in previous years. Instead, key points from a report by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention were widely shared online. These statements were initially posted on the Instagram accounts of Karimova’s son, Islam Karimov Jr., who lives in England, and her daughter, Iman Karimova. So, what is this report about? What does it say, and how has official Tashkent responded? Today we take a closer look.

The UN Human Rights Council concluded that Gulnara Karimova was arbitrarily detained in 2014 without a warrant or explanation. The report states that her first trial took place in 2015 in the kitchen of her residence in Tashkent, where she was denied access to two state-appointed lawyers. Karimova was sentenced to five years of house arrest. A second trial was held behind closed doors at the Tashkent Regional Court on December 18, 2017, without giving her the opportunity to appeal the verdict. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison and transferred to a penal colony in the Tashkent region in January 2018. In September 2019, a third criminal case was launched against her, resulting in a sentence of 13 years and four months in prison.

The Working Group found that all of Karimova’s trials were held in a closed and non-transparent manner. She was denied the right to defend herself and refute the charges, and witnesses were not questioned. These practices, the group said, violated her rights under Articles 3, 8, 9, and 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as Articles 2, 9, and 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The independent experts, who do not officially represent the United Nations, have called on the Uzbek government to immediately address the violations and compensate Karimova in accordance with international law. They also demand an independent investigation into the circumstances of her detention. “The perpetrators must be punished,” the experts stated.

The complaint to the UN Working Group was filed in 2021 by Karimova’s lawyers in Geneva, who alleged “systematic violations” of her rights. According to them, Karimova had been under house arrest for 18 months prior to her first trial, and the judicial proceedings were “fabricated.” The lawyers also accused Swiss and other Western judicial authorities of “legitimizing injustice.”

Meanwhile, Karimova remains a defendant in a large-scale money laundering case in Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office is investigating her and several representatives of her companies. A total of 800 million Swiss francs has been frozen in connection with the case.

Switzerland has agreed to return part of these assets—nearly \$131 million—to Uzbekistan under a bilateral agreement. After prolonged legal proceedings, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court ruled in 2021 to confiscate an additional 293 million francs in favor of Switzerland.

The Working Group’s conclusions repeatedly reference Karimova and the money laundering case in Switzerland. While the report is not legally binding, it could potentially be used by defense lawyers to contest the charges brought by Swiss prosecutors.

Karimova was formally charged by Swiss authorities in 2023. According to the indictment, she received millions of dollars in bribes from international companies in exchange for granting major telecommunications contracts in Uzbekistan. Prosecutors stated that assets worth \$985 million—including bank accounts, properties, cash, and valuables—were seized as part of the investigation.

Lombard Odier, a Geneva-based bank founded in 1796, reported suspicious transactions involving a former employee to authorities in 2012, triggering the investigation. The bank declined to comment on the UN report.

According to the previously unpublished report by the UN Working Group, Karimova was arbitrarily detained in 2014 while her father was still in power. The report claims that she was convicted of fraud and embezzlement in a hastily conducted trial held in her own kitchen.

Karimova's lawyers, Grégoire Mangeat and Fanny Margairaz, emphasized that the UN’s conclusions should serve as a serious warning to the Swiss Prosecutor’s Office. According to them, the prosecution has relied on “false and unfair court decisions” made in Uzbekistan to support its allegations.

According to the conclusions of the UN Working Group, the treatment of Gulnara Karimova violated her rights to liberty, a fair trial, and the presumption of innocence. The group did not evaluate her guilt or innocence but called on the Uzbek government to align her legal status with international standards, fully compensate her for the harm caused, and restore all her civil and legal rights.

The Uzbek government, in turn, did not remain silent in response to the Working Group’s statements. A 10-point official response was issued addressing the conclusions.

Firstly, the government expressed concern that the Working Group’s opinion was based on one-sided and subjective information provided by the source, while Uzbekistan’s official response was not considered due to procedural deadlines. The government noted that such an approach undermines the principles of objectivity and impartiality expected from UN bodies.

Secondly, Uzbekistan reaffirmed its openness to dialogue and international cooperation, provided it is based on mutual respect, adherence to international law, and the absence of double standards.

Thirdly, the government stated that all criminal cases against Gulnara Karimova were initiated and reviewed in strict compliance with Uzbekistan’s criminal and procedural laws, as well as the country’s international obligations, including those outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Fourthly, it asserted that Karimova’s right to a defense and to a fair trial was ensured throughout the criminal proceedings. She was allowed to choose or appoint her own lawyers. The principle of confidentiality regarding access to case materials, the right to appeal decisions, and communication with her legal counsel was observed.

Fifth, the government claimed that the court decisions were issued by competent authorities based on substantial evidence proving the commission of serious and particularly grave crimes, including tax evasion, money laundering, embezzlement of state assets, fraud, and other offenses that caused significant harm to the state.

Sixth, the government rejected claims that Karimova was arbitrarily arrested in 2014, held under prolonged house arrest, or tried “in a kitchen,” stating that all procedural actions and court hearings were carried out in full compliance with the law. It also noted that Karimova retains the legal right to appeal court decisions.

Seventh, the government categorically denied any political motivation in the case. It emphasized that all actions taken by law enforcement and judicial authorities were based solely on legal and evidentiary grounds and did not relate to Karimova’s economic or political activities.

Eighth, the government highlighted the establishment of the “Vision 2030” Fund in 2022 under an agreement between the Swiss Confederation and the Government of Uzbekistan. The fund aims to utilize assets recovered from Karimova to support Uzbekistan’s reform programs and contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is managed through the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund.

Ninth, the statement reiterated that Uzbekistan remains committed to fulfilling its international human rights obligations and is open to constructive dialogue with UN mechanisms, including special procedures.

Tenth, the government declared that it reserves the right to take further measures to protect its reputation in international forums and to present accurate information to interested parties.

Until early 2025, Gulnara Karimova was held at Women’s Penal Colony No. 21 in the Zangiota district of the Tashkent region. According to information obtained by QALAMPIR.UZ, in January 2025, she was transferred to Residential Colony No. 42, also located in the Zangiota district.

Looking at the charges brought against her, Gulnara Karimova was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Tashkent Regional Criminal Court on December 18, 2017.

According to information provided by the Prosecutor General's Office in 2017, a criminal case was opened against Karimova on October 24, 2013, on charges of tax evasion involving several limited liability companies. During the investigation, it was discovered that Karimova had directly assisted the criminal activities of an organized group led by Sodiqov from 2001 to 2012 and by Madumarov from January to October 2013.

At the time, the Prosecutor's Office charged Gulnara Karimova under several articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, including Article 165 (Extortion), Article 167 (Embezzlement or Misappropriation), Article 179 (False Entrepreneurship), Article 184 (Tax or Fee Evasion), and Article 227 (Seizing, Destroying, Damaging, or Concealing Documents, Stamps, Seals, Forms, or State License Plates of Motor Vehicles and Their Trailers).

As previously mentioned, in December 2017, Karimova was sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, the sentence was later reduced to five years from a humanitarian standpoint, taking into account her commitment to return funds obtained through criminal means and compensate for the damage caused to the state. Her sentence was then converted to a restriction of liberty.

At her own request, the place of serving this sentence was set at the residence of her daughter, Iman Karimova. During this period, several legal restrictions were imposed, including a prohibition on leaving the premises, using telecommunications or the internet, and an obligation to repay damages.

Later, due to Karimova’s deliberate violations of the conditions of her sentence, the Probation Service under the Main Directorate for the Execution of Sentences of the Ministry of Internal Affairs submitted a request to change her sentence. In accordance with criminal-executive legislation, the unserved portion of her sentence was replaced with a prison term to be served in a general regime colony. She was subsequently placed in Penal Colony No. 21, located in the Zangiota district.

According to a statement by the Supreme Court in 2020, the Tashkent City Court for Criminal Cases found Gulnara Karimova and members of the criminal group she organized guilty of crimes including the creation of a criminal organization, extortion, embezzlement, and laundering the proceeds of crime.

Karimova was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months in prison. Taking into account that she was convicted of multiple offenses, the total sentence was calculated to begin from August 21, 2015, in accordance with the norms of criminal law.

Following the death of her father, Islam Karimov, in 2016, Gulnara Karimova disappeared from public view. It remains unclear whether she attended the funeral or participated in related ceremonies. Only Islam Karimov’s widow, Tatyana Karimova, and his youngest daughter, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, were publicly seen at the official funeral ceremonies. Gulnara’s son, Islam, has remained in London with his mother since her arrest. Her daughter, Iman Karimova, has been active in Tashkent on behalf of the family since she appeared alongside her aunt Lola at a 2017 memorial event at the Oqsaroy complex in honor of Islam Karimov. The youngest in the family, Lola Karimova, has since withdrawn from all public activities in Uzbekistan and moved to the United States.

In an interview given a few years ago, Islam Karimov Jr. stated that the relationship between his mother Gulnara and her sister Lola had broken down many years earlier, attributing the rift to their grandparents. It was publicly known that Tatyana Karimova had also become estranged from her daughter Gulnara. However, in recent years, family ties appear to have been restored. On July 8, Lola Karimova posted a birthday greeting to her sister Gulnara on social media for the first time. It is also known that Tatyana Karimova has visited the correctional facility where Gulnara is being held on several occasions.