1991 Uzbek presidential election

Background

Karimov had been elected the first President of the Uzbek SSR by the Supreme Soviet on 24 March 1990, with 491 votes in favour and 7 against.

Candidates

Initially several prominent figures were interested in running. Besides Karimov and Muhammad Salih, a prominent opposition leader, Abdurakhim Pulatov from Unity and Abdullah Utayev, leader of Islamic Renaissance Party of Uzbekistan, both declared their candidacy. However, they were unable to register due to obstacles placed in their way by the government: Pulatov failed to gather enough signatures while Utayev was unable to register as his party was not recognized by the government. Pulatov claimed that the government wanted to prevent him from running due to a new election law which required candidates to collect signatures in only few days. Ultimately Salih was the only opposition candidate.

Despite having a real opposition candidate, Karimov was expected to win due to his control of government apparatus and state media. Salih was only given 15 minutes airtime on several television stations, while Karimov's speeches were aired regularly. Salih focused his campaign on promising to liberalize the political, social and economic spheres, while Karimov was focused on sovereignty and the social and spiritual revival of Uzbekistan.

Results

Officially, Karimov was re-elected in a landslide, beating Salih with just over 87 percent of the vote. However, observers stated the election was heavily rigged by Karimov's government, with many violations of regulations and ballot stuffing. In the early election results, Salih had received 30% of vote and Karimov 40%, potentially requiring a second round. However, a few hours later the results were revised to state Karimov was the winner with over 50 percent of the vote. Several independent observers claimed that Salih had received over 50% of vote.

Salih told the Helsinki Commission that he had actually received 30% of vote, implying that he had conceded that Karimov was the winner of the election. However, he also protested the election process was unfair. He later joined Pulatov in demanding fresh elections under a new electoral law in a student protest. However, in the end Karimov's regime suppressed the protest and Pulatov and Salih later went into exile.

References

References

1. [[Dieter Nohlen]], Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) ''Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I'', p490 {{ISBN. 0-19-924958-X
2. Nohlen ''et al''., p496
3. [https://www.rferl.org/a/two-steps-backward-in-uzbekistan/30381645.html Two Steps Backward In Uzbekistan]
4. Nikolai Borisov (2018) [https://books.google.com/books?id=z5N9DwAAQBAJ&q=491&pg=PA35 Президентство на постсоветском пространстве: процессы генезиса и трансформаций] p35
5. [https://www.rferl.org/a/the-making-of-islam-karimov-uzbekistan/26917396.html Orphaned Dictator: The Making Of Uzbekistan's Islam Karimov] RFERL, 24 March 2015
6. "Би-би-си архивидан: 'Ҳилол ва юлдуз - Оллоҳга ошиқ Фарғона'. 2-қисм". BBC Oʻzbek.
7. "Часть фильма Би-би-си "Полумесяц и звезда — влюблённая в Аллаха Фергана", посвященная оппозиции в Узбекистане". BBC Oʻzbek (YouTube).
8. [https://books.google.com/books?id=8AKFAAAAMAAJ&dq=uzbekistan+election+pulatov&pg=PA207 Human Rights and Democratization in the Newly Independent States ..., Volume 88]
9. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ii3tDwAAQBAJ&dq=uzbekistan+election+pulatov&pg=PT34 Uzbekistan’s International Relations]
10. [https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/uzbekistan-opposition-erk-party-wants-in-on-october-presidential-election/ Uzbekistan: Opposition Erk Party Wants in on October Presidential Election]
11. "Вечный президент Узбекистан Ислама Каримова: фотоистория". Meduza.
12. "Выборы Каримова в Узбекистане". Радио Свобода.
13. [https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-opposition-party-presidential-election-candidate/31189505.html Erk, Uzbekistan's First Opposition Party, Says It Will Attempt To Field A Presidential Candidate]
14. [https://books.google.com/books?id=mhlpAAAAMAAJ&dq=uzbekistan+elecTion+rigged+1991&pg=PA16 The Referendum on Independence and Presidential Election in Uzbekistan ...]
15. [https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-opposition-party-presidential-election-candidate/31189505.html Erk, Uzbekistan's First Opposition Party, Says It Will Attempt To Field A Presidential Candidate]
16. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ii3tDwAAQBAJ&dq=uzbekistan+election+pulatov&pg=PT34 Uzbekistan’s International Relations]