Born April 7, 1956 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan into an intellectual family with roots in science and teaching. Father - Giyas Umarov, physicist. Mother - Nabira Shamsiyeva, philologist. Middle son of five children. Has two older brothers and two younger sisters. Married to Indira Niyazova who has advanced degrees in Art. Has five children, Gulam, Arslan, Sardor, Zarina, Emina and granddaughter - Elmira. Resides in Germantown, TN, since 1995.
Graduated from Tashkent Institute for Engineers of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization. Attended Graduate School at the Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī's Tashkent Polytechnic Institute (currently Tashkent Technical University) and defended dissertation on the Use of Solar Energy in 1982.
Learned French and taught physics and electrical technology in French at Biskra University in Algeria.
Became a businessman upon his return to Uzbekistan in 1988.
In 1989, together with the National Economic Society, the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce and the National Academy for Foreign Trade (Moscow based), helped organize one of the first international business schools in Uzbekistan. Professors for this business school were invited from the National Academy of Foreign Trade in Moscow, joining specialists from the USA and Europe. From 1989-1991 worked in large scale import-export operations, answering supply and demand in high tech products and basic goods, and establishing international contacts with foreign businesses. In 1992-1993, founded and managed a national level foreign trade organization “Uzagrotradeinvest,” of the Uzbek Ministry of Agriculture. Effected a venture finance for the creation of new production companies and provided consulting for their further capitalization. As a result, founded a number of firms and corporations and became the co-owner or call option of major stock throughout the former USSR. These companies included the first cell phone company in the country, a company for the exploration, production and refining of ore and minerals, energy, transport, logistic, tourist and developer companies, financial and management companies, banks, retail networks, and others.
In 1992 initiated the signing of a protocol for the construction of first railroad to be part of the "Modern Silk Road" in Afghanistan, connecting the Uzbek city of Termez with Quetta in Pakistan (construction started in 2010).
In 2001, at the request of the U.S. Department of Defense, Umarov help organize the delivery of fuel for American military aircraft based in Afghanistan and Central Asia. For his important role in supporting coalition forces, S. Umarov received a congratulatory letter from the U.S. Department of Defense, officially acknowledging his assistance and support for operation “Enduring Freedom.” Also participated in creating a distribution network for LPG in Afghanistan for the local populace and helped in the rehabilitation of several large energy infrastructure projects.
In 2005 brokered an agreement for the construction in Uzbekistan of a factory for the production of liquid synthetic fuel from natural gas, the so called “gas-to-liquid.” technology. The project was to be financed ($1 billion) by direct foreign investment without governmental involvement. However, the project never materialized due to the arrest of S. Umarov for political motives.
In April, 2005, together with the Free Peasants Party he created the coalition “Sunshine Uzbekistan,” which united citizens groups made up of intellectuals and entrepreneurs. The goal of this organization was to establish a direct dialogue with the national government concerning social and economic reforms to raise the standard of living, to fight corruption, to defend human rights, to ensure that laws were enforced and to protect the rights and interests of free trade and private property in agriculture. After the display of force by troops in the city of Andijan, the coalition officially protested the extreme use of power, and demanded an international inquiry. The coalition also requested that the government and the president step down. It demanded direct talks with the Parliament.
The creation of the Sunshine Coalition resonated through the country, especially in intellectual circles and among entrepreneurs. At the same time the appearance of an unsanctioned social organization caused fear and anxiety among the leaders of the country. This led to the unlawful arrest of the more famous figures among the activists although the coalitions actions were legitimate and its Charter and Program were made clear.
In October, 2005, after returning from the USA by way of Russia, where S. Umarov met with member of the U.S. Congress and international financial organizations, he was detained without explanation during an illegal search of the Coalition’s office. With the goal of murder, the authorities held him for three days without revealing his whereabouts. Due to public outcry, including a resolution from the U.S. Congress, the Uzbek authorities finally revealed his whereabouts. Umarov’s lawyer found him in the basement of a city administration building in severely diminished capacity. His was accused of organizing and financing the uprising in Andijan and for other financial crimes. He was sentenced to 14.5 years, and was put to hard labor in a brick factory. For refusing to perform hard labor due to health conditions, Umarov was placed in solitary confinement for two years, deprived of all contact from the outside world, including correspondence, face to face meetings with relatives or lawyers, and was given nothing to read.
He was regularly subjected to torture and forced to ingest psychotrophic drugs. He declare the fast. While still in prison, he wrote a letter to Parliament questioning the capability of the President to perform his duties. Before the 2007 Uzbek presidential elections, while still in prison, he spoke out against the constitutional right of I. Karimov to run for another presidential term. In November, 2009, due to his poor health and to an international campaign for his freedom, he was granted unconditional amnesty, released from prison and he returned to his family in the U.S.
