P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Turaev, Sayfiddin
Tajik politician and businessman Sayfiddin Turaev was born into a
farming family in Uroteppa on January 28, 1945. His career began as a
simple worker in a wine factory in Uroteppa in 1961. Between 1964 and
1967, he served in the Soviet military. He joined the CPSU in 1972.
Turaev graduated from the Moscow Textile Institute in 1973. There-
after, he served as Chief of Textile Machines and as division head.
From 1973 to 1975, he was a Chief Engineer and the Director of the
Uroteppa Knitted Fabrics. After 1975, Turaev continued his studies and
graduated from the Moscow Textile Institute in 1979, then from the
Academy of Agriculture at the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of
Tajikistan in 1991.
Between 1986 and 1992, he was the Minister of Consumer Services
of the Republic. He was elected to the parliament twice, once in 1990
and again in 1995. In 1991 and 1992, he served as the First Deputy at
the Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan. In 1992, he was elected as the Direc-
tor of the National Unity Congress. In the same year, after the defeat of
the Opposition, Turaev left Dushanbe for his hometown of Uroteppa.
There, he became the president of the Istaravshan International Con-
cern.
In 1995, Turaev became the Chair of the Congress of the National
Unity of the Republic. On September 20, 1999, he was nominated by
the Adolatkhoh Justice Party as a candidate for the presidency, but did
not pass the 5% minimum requirement hurdle to be included on the
ballot.
Turaev received the Badge of Honor, and the 20
th
Anniversary of
Victory of the Great War Award.

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Iraj Bashiri

326
Turajonzoda, Hoji Akbar

Tajik judge and politician Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda, also referred to
as Akbar Qahhorov, was born in Kofarnihon into the family of the Ishan
of Turajon on February 16, 1954. He received his early education in
Kofarnihon.
Between 1972 and 1976, he studied at the Mir Arab Madrasa in
Bukhara. From 1976 to 1980, he continued his studies at the Islamic In-
stitute of Tashkent. From 1980 to 1982, he was a reviewer for the Cen-
tral Asian Theological Journal. Between 1982 and 1987, he studied at
the Aman University of Jordan, specializing in Islamic jurisprudence.
Between 1985 and 1987, he worked at the Department of International
Relations in the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Central Asia
in Tashkent. From September 1987 to August 1988, he taught at the Is-
lamic Institute of Tashkent. In August 1988, he was appointed Chief
Judge (Qozikalon) of Tajikistan. In 1990, he was elected a representa-
tive to Tajikistan's Supreme Soviet. After the 1992 defeat of the Oppo-
sition, he traveled abroad.
In 1993, Turajonzoda joined MIRT, and became its First Deputy
Chairman, as well as the Chairman of the IRPT. Between 1995 and
1997, as part of the United Tajik Opposition negotiation team, he par-
ticipated in several rounds of Tajik Government and Opposition Peace
Talks. In March 1998, he was promoted to the position of Tajikistan's
first Vice-Premier, responsible for Tajikistan's relationship with the
Commonweath of Independent States. His support of Rahmonov in the
1999 election resulted in his dismissal as the Deputy Chairman of the
IRPT.
His contributions include Miyoni Obu Otash (Amid Water and Fire,
1998). Turajonzoda received the Order of Ismoili Somoni in 1999.