Law enforcement officers from GBAO are being transferred to Khatlon region

As part of the “personnel reshuffles,” Sharif Nazarzoda and Avaz Nazarzoda have been transferred from Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region to Khatlon Region.

Lieutenant General of Police Nazarzoda Sharif Rahmon has been relieved of his duties as head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and appointed as head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Khatlon Region.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Khatlon Region on its Facebook page, Nazarzoda was appointed to this position with the agreement of Emomali Rahmon on January 29 of this year, and on January 30 he was already introduced as the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Khatlon Region.

Previously, Nazarzoda Sharif held various positions including head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Sughd Region, head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the city of Dushanbe, and deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Ramazon Rahimzoda. In February 2022, he was appointed head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region.

Three months after Nazarzoda Sharif took office, residents of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region staged a protest and called for an investigation into the murder of a resident of Roshtkala District, Gulbiddin Ziyobekov. Following this, law enforcement agencies conducted an “operation,” which they termed “anti-terrorist,” resulting in dozens of deaths, while many activists and ordinary residents were detained on fabricated charges and later sentenced to prison terms.

As a result of the recent “personnel reshuffles,” Avaz Nazarzoda has been appointed as the prosecutor of Khatlon Region. Previously, he served as the prosecutor of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. He is a native of Isfara District. He has previously worked as the prosecutor of the city of Penjikent and the prosecutor of Khujand. In his role as prosecutor of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, he replaced Parviz Orifzoda, who was accused of serious crimes and arrested in early 2023.

The recent “personnel reshuffles” come after a meeting of the Security Council of Tajikistan on January 19, 2024, where the head of the Security Council, President Emomali Rahmon, dismissed almost all high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Khatlon Region and their deputies, the prosecutor of Khatlon Region and his deputies, as well as heads of several prosecution agencies in the region.

Rahmon expressed dissatisfaction with the prevention and “fight against terrorist and extremist crimes,” illegal drug trafficking and smuggling, “transnational organized crime, corruption, and economic crimes of a corrupt nature.”

In recent days, the season of “personnel reshuffles” has continued in Tajikistan. In just the last 24 hours, Emomali Rahmon has relieved about 40 officials from their positions and appointed them to other roles.

In particular, as part of these reshuffles, the president’s cousin, the head of the Dangara district, Islomiddin Rahmon, was relieved of his position “in connection with his transition to another job.” He was succeeded by Sidjoudin Salomzoda, the former deputy mayor of the capital, Rustam Emomali. It is not yet known what position Islomiddin Rahmon has been appointed to.