DUSHANBE, November 17, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Islam Karimov Jr., grandson of the President of Uzbekistan and eldest son of Gulnara Karimova, gave an interview to BBC’s Natalia Antelava in London on November 15.  In his interview he spoke of his grandfather as “a victim of the situation” and expressed security concerns over coming back home.

Islam Karimov Jr. on his mother’s freedom: “I don’t have any contact with her.  I don’t have a possibility of making contact with her and I don’t have a guarantee that she is ok or that she’s alive. And I am taking a big risk talking to you because it will, for sure, anger a lot of people.  But I believe that when you have to something you have to say something.  And if I don’t say it, who will?  My mother’s freedom and my sister’s freedom is my priority of life for right now and I am ready to do anything for them.”

Islam Karimov Jr. on his mother’s downfall: “The main reason for her downfall would be that she was a risk or a threat to a group of people and their interests in taking power. I think that her image of strong person, independent… and she always listened to herself and she never allowed anyone to manipulate and control her.  That was the main reason for her downfall happened. ”

Islam Karimov Jr. on his grandmother and aunt’s relation to Gulnara’s downfall: “My mother, my sister and me have not received any support from our family.  If they’re not with us, they’re against us. …And my grandmother does not tell you the things she told me. My grandmother said: “our side will destroy your side.”  Grandmothers don’t usually say that.”

BBC: - Do you realize how bizarre the story of your family is?

Islam Karimov Jr.: - I, of course, understand how bizarre the situation is and it makes things more complicated, that this never happened in the world before.  It also makes it difficult to explain to the people extend of the craziness of the situation and how deeply the conspiracy runs. No one, when I tell them the situation, would believe the grandmother would do this…

BBC: - It’s very Shakespearian.

Islam Karimov Jr.: - Yeah. I think he [Shakespeare] would like it if he lived in Uzbekistan …it would be inspiration for him for many other works.

Islam Karimov Jr. on attempts to contact with his grandfather: “We tried to visit him [President Karimov] on new year’s eve.  And we were blocked by my grandmother’s people and their cars.  It was a shock for us when we saw men in masks.  Basically, we were told to go back home.”

BBC: Islam Karimov Jr. believes what is happening between his mother and grandmother is battle for power and money.

Islam Karimov Jr.:  I have a conclusion that the people who have orchestrated this want to safeguard their future admissions for, maybe, taking power or, maybe, flawless business activities. If she does not stop them, there is no one to actually do it.

Islam Karimov Jr. on his grandfather’s role in Gulnara’s downfall: “He is the person that I blame the least.  Because he runs the country and he has various sources of information, which the SNB controls.  And I think that if he finds out what the real situation is he would surely do everything in his power like a father, like a grandfather, to fix the situation.  And also, I think people try to manipulate him...”

BBC: - But that means he is losing power?

Islam Karimov Jr.:  - I can’t really say if he is losing power or not. I’d like to put it as he is losing the grip of exactly what is happening.

BBC: - Does he listen to the radio? Does he read the newspapers? Does he have an access to information on his own?

Islam Karimov Jr.:  - I tried to teach him how to use internet but my grandmother told me “are you crazy? What if he reads the internet and he knows everything?” It was quite a shock for me, I told her “why would you want him not to know everything?  Would it be better if he knew everything?”

Islam Karimov Jr. on human rights issues: “When people ask why she [Gulnara] has not raised human rights issues before, how people think would she do that? Do they want her to try suicide?”