Mr Karimov has ruled Uzbekistan for more than a quarter of a century
The Uzbek government has confirmed the death of President Islam Karimov, six days after he was taken to hospital with a suspected brain haemorrhage.
One of Asia's most authoritarian leaders, Mr Karimov, 78, died after 27 years in power.
His funeral will be overseen by Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, seen as a potential successor.
Rights groups say Mr Karimov repressed opposition to his rule but for supporters he represented stability.
He will be buried on Saturday in his home city of Samarkand and three days of mourning will be observed.
A United Nations report has described the use of torture under Mr Karimov as "systematic".
The late leader often justified his strong-arm tactics by highlighting the danger from Islamist militancy in the mainly Muslim country, which borders Afghanistan.
Expressing his condolences in a statement (in Russian), Russian President Vladimir Putin described Mr Karimov as a statesman "who had contributed to the security and stability of Central Asia" and who would be a "great loss for the people of Uzbekistan".
One of Asia's most authoritarian leaders, Mr Karimov, 78, died after 27 years in power.
His funeral will be overseen by Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, seen as a potential successor.
Rights groups say Mr Karimov repressed opposition to his rule but for supporters he represented stability.
He will be buried on Saturday in his home city of Samarkand and three days of mourning will be observed.
A United Nations report has described the use of torture under Mr Karimov as "systematic".
The late leader often justified his strong-arm tactics by highlighting the danger from Islamist militancy in the mainly Muslim country, which borders Afghanistan.
Expressing his condolences in a statement (in Russian), Russian President Vladimir Putin described Mr Karimov as a statesman "who had contributed to the security and stability of Central Asia" and who would be a "great loss for the people of Uzbekistan".
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