DUSHANBE, June 13, 2016, Asia-Plus – Father of Sharofiddin Gadoyev, the leader of the banned opposition organization Group 24, has died aged 68, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on June 13.

His relatives told RFE/RL’s Tajik Service that Mirzoali Gadoyev has come under pressure from the authorities because of his son’s political activities.

We will recall that Sharofiddin Gadoyev was elected new leader of Group 24 on March 12, 2015 after its founding leader Umarali Quvvatov was killed in Istanbul, Turkey on March 5, 2015.

The 31-year-old Sharofiddin Gadoyev is cousin and business associate of Umarali Quvvatov.  He has been living in Spain since 2013.

Sharofiddin Gadoyev was born in the Farkhor district of the Khatlon province on May 19, 1985.  He is national of Tajikistan.  Gadoyev graduated from the Faculty of Law, Tajik National University.  From 2003 through 2012 he was reportedly engaged in business.

The founding leader of Group 24, Umarali Quvvatov, 47, once had close ties with President Emomali Rahmon’s relatives but became an opponent.  He was wanted by Dushanbe on fraud charges that he said were politically motivated.

Quvvatov left Tajikistan in 2012 and stayed in Russia and the United Arab Emirates before moving to Turkey.  After leaving Tajikistan, he accused Emomali Rahmon of corruption and nepotism.

On December 19, 2014, Umarali Quvvatov was arrested in Istanbul for visa violations, but he was released on February 3, 2015.

Umarali Quvvatov was shot dead by unidentified assailant in Istanbul, Turkey on March 5.

Tajikistan''s Supreme Court banned Group 24 on October 9, 2014 following growing government pressure on the opposition group after it used the Internet to call for street protests in the capital, Dushanbe, on October 10.

Supreme Court judge Salomat Hakimova ruled that Group 24 is an extremist organization, and therefore is banned in Tajikistan.  Its website and printed materials were also banned.