Uzbekistan's first and only president has died, leaving an uncertain future for a government marred by controversy.<br />Karimov, 78, has not appeared in public since August 17.<br />He has been in the hospital since last Saturday after suffering a stroke, Reuters reports, and the Uzbek government did confirm that he was critically ill.<br />Karimov became leader of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1989.<br />Two years later, he declared the independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan and assumed the presidency of the new country.<br />In 1995, his mandate was extended for another five years by referendum.<br />Despite a two-term limit, he won re-election in 2000, 2007 and 2015.
