Draft:Sharofiddin Gadoev

Sharofiddin Gadoev
Шарофиддин Гадоев
Born	Sharofiddin Gadoev (Шарофиддин Гадоев) 19 May 1985 Farkhor, Khatlon, Tajikistan
Education	Faculty of International Law at the National University of Tajikistan

Sharofiddin Gadoev (Tajik: Шарофиддин Гадоев) was born on May 19, 1985, in the Farkhor district, Khatlon Region, Tajikistan. He attended Farhor Secondary School No. 3, named after Abdurahmon Jomi, graduating in 2003. Between 2004 and 2009, Gadoev studied at the Faculty of International Law at the National University of Tajikistan, obtaining a degree in international law and international relations. He is divorced and has two children.

Business Career

From a young age, Gadoev showed an interest in business. Between 2005 and 2012, he worked alongside Umarali Kuvvatov in successful entrepreneurial ventures. Their companies, such as "Faroz" JSC and "Tojiron" LLC, led in several sectors, including oil, pharmaceuticals, transportation, construction, metallurgy, and mining. However, due to interference from relatives of President Emomali Rahmon, their companies were unlawfully taken over.

Political Opposition

In response to the business pressures, Gadoev and Kuvvatov founded the opposition group "Group 24" in 2012, calling for political and economic reforms in Tajikistan and Rahmon's resignation. Gadoev served as the group's deputy leader from 2012 to 2015 and became its leader after Kuvvatov's assassination in 2015.

In 2018, Gadoev founded a new opposition movement, "Reforms and Development of Tajikistan," which aims to modernize the economy, enhance living standards, and protect citizens' rights and freedoms. This movement focuses on comprehensive reforms to ensure Tajikistan's sustainable development.

Gadoev was also one of the founding members of the National Alliance of Tajikistan, established on September 9, 2018. However, he left the alliance on August 13, 2024, citing dissatisfaction with its leadership and structure, particularly concerns over the dominant role of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan and its ties with Iran.

Political Repression

In 2012, Gadoev became the target of political repression, facing threats from Tajik authorities, including from President Rahmon's son-in-law and daughter. His business was seized, and politically motivated criminal cases were filed against him.

In 2014, Gadoev was arrested in Madrid under a Tajik Interpol warrant. After reviewing his case, Spanish authorities deemed the charges politically motivated and denied his extradition. A similar case occurred in 2018, when Gadoev was detained in Warsaw under Interpol notices from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. After seven months of legal proceedings, Polish authorities ruled in his favor, recognizing the political nature of the charges.

In 2019, Gadoev was kidnapped in Moscow by Tajik and Russian security services and forcibly returned to Tajikistan. He was held for two weeks and pressured to publicly declare he had returned voluntarily. International advocacy efforts led to his release, and Gadoev returned to the Netherlands in March 2019.

In December 2019, after a review by Interpol, all notices against Gadoev were removed, as they were found to be politically motivated.

UN Investigation

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention conducted an independent investigation into Gadoev's 2019 abduction. In January 2022, they published their findings, declaring that his detention violated multiple articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Recent Developments

In May 2024, Moscow's Basmanny District Court issued an arrest warrant for Gadoev in absentia, accusing him of spreading "fake news" about Russia's war in Ukraine. This followed Gadoev's public condemnation of Russia's invasion during a visit to Ukraine in 2022.

Family Repression

Gadoev's family also faced severe repression due to his political activities. Between 2012 and 2014, his family's businesses were seized, and his relatives were subjected to repeated interrogations. His father, Mirzoali Gadoev, was detained and beaten by Tajik authorities, leading to his eventual death in 2016. Gadoev's siblings faced pressure to divorce, and their passports were confiscated, preventing them from leaving the country. His sister Hafizamo was barred from traveling abroad in 2017, and in 2023, his mother was detained and forced to record a video urging Gadoev to cease his opposition activities.

In February 2024, Gadoev's mother's passport was confiscated as she prepared to travel abroad for medical treatment, with authorities refusing to return it despite earlier promises.