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Ilham Aliyev

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Ilham Aliyev
President of Azerbaijan
Incumbent
Assumed office
31 October 2003
Prime MinisterArtur Rasizade
Preceded byHeydar Aliyev
Prime Minister of Azerbaijan
In office
4 August 2003 – 4 November 2003
PresidentHeydar Aliyev
Preceded byArtur Rasizade
Succeeded byArtur Rasizade
Personal details
Born (1961-12-24) 24 December 1961 (age 62)
Baku, Soviet Union
(now Azerbaijan)
Political partyNew Azerbaijan Party
SpouseMehriban Pashayeva
Alma materMoscow State Institute of International Relations

Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev (Azerbaijani: İlham Heydər oğlu Əliyev, Илһам Һејдәр оғлу Әлиев, ایلهام علیف; born 24 December 1961, Baku) is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee. Apart from his native Azerbaijani, he speaks English, French, Russian, and Turkish.

Ilham Aliyev is the son of Heydar Aliyev, who was Azerbaijan's president from 1993-2003.

Early life

In 1977 Aliyev entered the Moscow State University of International Relations (MSUIR) and in 1982 continued his education as a postgraduate.[1] In 1985 he received a PhD degree in history.[1] In 1985-1990 Aliyev has been lecturing at MSUIR.[1]

Political career

Early years

In May 1994, Ilham Aliyev was appointed vice-president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). He participated as one of the key figures during the negotiations between Azerbaijani government and Western oil companies during the conclusion of new contracts now known as Contract of the century. The following year Aliyev was elected to the National Assembly of Azerbaijan and later became president of the National Olympic Committee (still incumbent) and head of the Azerbaijan delegation to the Council of Europe. In August 2003, two months prior to the presidential elections, he was appointed prime minister. In October, Heydar Aliyev, suffering failing health, stepped down as president and in a controversial move, appointed his son, an independent candidate, as his party's sole presidential candidate.

2003 presidential elections

Main article: Azerbaijani presidential election, 2003

The official results of the October 15, 2003, elections gave victory to Ilham Aliyev, who earned 76.84% of the votes. However, the domestic opposition refused to accept the results and staged mass protests. The protests were due to alleged corruption and staging of elections.

The elections received harsh criticism from the international community, with many observers noting that they fell short of international standards and were accompanied by voter intimidation, unequal campaign opportunities for the candidates, and widespread violations of the electoral laws and process. The OSCE International Election Observation Mission noted a number of irregularities in the counting and tabulation.[2] Human Rights Watch complained that Aliyev's election campaign had been supported by government resources and that the Central Election Commission and local election commissions had been stacked with its supporters, while local non-governmental organizations had been banned from monitoring the vote.[3]

Presidency

Participants of the second Caspian Summit. From left to right: Ilham Aliev, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev, President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, October 2007

Opposition members and human rights activists complain that during Aliyev's presidency the human rights situation has not improved. Opposition mass meetings remained banned or were allowed to be held in remote parts of Baku, thus aiming at demoralizing and making it difficult for supporters of opposition to reach there, and the government has continued to pressure the opposition and independent press. In March 2005 under continued pressure from the international community, especially the Council of Europe, Aliyev released from prison many prominent members of the opposition, arrested during protests against the way the October 2003 election was conducted.

For his human rights violations and uncontested rule over Azerbaijan, Aliyev is considered a dictator by many experts on the Caucasus and the former USSR.[4][5][6] In 2010, WikiLeaks uncovered a diplomatic cable dispatched by the US Embassy in the Republic of Azerbaijan, part of the cache of documents obtained by the WikiLeaks website, that explicitly compared Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to a mafia crime boss, leaving many to wonder if his government was actually democratic and whether people truthfully believed that Azerbaijan does not repress minority populations.[7] A number of groups have also complained to the Commission on Human Rights for the purpose of adopting a resolution, which urges Azerbaijan to guarantee the preservation of the cultural, religious and national identity of the Talysh people in light of repeated claims of repression.[8]

Aliyev with President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, 3 July 2008

On March 26, 2005, Aliyev was officially elected as the ruling New Azerbaijan Party chairman. The opposition denounced this as a violation of state laws, because according to the law on political parties, the president should have no party affiliation.

In April 2006, President Aliyev made a state visit to Washington, D.C. It was a remarkably successful trip, at least in terms of image. Speaking at a public forum sponsored by the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations, Aliyev discussed oil, economic development, and democracy with an audience of reporters and others. The visit was capped with a private meeting in the White House with President George W. Bush, who told reporters that their discussion was "really interesting", although he also said the meeting was "candid" - sometimes a code word for "tense". Opposition groups said that an official meeting with President Bush sent an inappropriate signal that the violence and intimidation of the 2005 parliamentary election was now a closed matter.[9]

In 2008, Aliyev declared that “Nagorno Karabakh will never be independent; the position is backed by international mediators as well; Armenia has to accept the reality” and that “in 1918, Yerevan was granted to the Armenians. It was a great mistake. The khanate of Iravan was the Azeri territory, the Armenians were guests there."[10]

Ilham Aliyev was re-elected in 2008 with 87% of the polls, while opposition parties boycotted the elections. In a constitutional referendum in 2009, term limits for the presidency were abolished and freedom of the press was restricted.

The 2010 parliamentary elections produced a Parliament completely loyal to Aliyev: for the first time in Azerbaijani history, not a single candidate from the main opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front or Musavat parties was elected. The Economist subsequently scored Azerbaijan as an authoritarian regime, at the 135° place on 167, in its 2010 Democracy Index.

Repeated protests were staged against Aliyev's rule in 2011, calling for democratic reforms and the ouster of the government. Aliyev has responded by ordering a security crackdown, using force to crush attempts at revolt in Baku. Officials loyal to the president have dismissed protesters' comparison of Azerbaijan to other countries considered to be part of the same revolutionary wave that has rocked North Africa and Western Asia since December 2010, and Aliyev has rejected the precedent set by leaders in Armenia, Oman, Jordan, and other affected states by refusing to make concessions. Well over 400 Azerbaijanis have been arrested since protests began in March 2011.[11] Opposition leaders, including Musavat's Isa Gambar, have vowed to continue demonstrating, although police have encountered little difficulty in stopping protests almost as soon as they begin.[12]

Personal life

Ilham Aliyev is married to Mehriban Aliyeva and has three children: Leyla, Arzu and Heydar. He also has an older sister, Sevil Aliyeva.

Honors

Ilham Aliyev with insignia of the Order of Merit during a visit to Poland

Ilham Aliyev's major honors include:

On 21 November 2009, Aliyev was also included in a 500 Most Influential Muslims of World book.[31][32]

Aliyev's photo is shown in the final frames of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan implying misleadingly that he is the president of Borat's fictionalised Kazakhstan.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "President of Azerbaijan-Biography". President.az. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  2. ^ "OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Report" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper".
  4. ^ Ken Silverstein (2008-04-25). "Obama to Azeri Dictator: Set Our Big Macs Free—By Ken Silverstein". Harper's Magazine. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
  5. ^ William Stewart (2009-01-05). "Oil-rich dictator cultivated by Prince Andrew blocks BBC broadcasts". Mail Online. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
  6. ^ Holebender (2010-12-20). "Greg Palast Busted by BP in Azerbaijan". Newsnetscotland.com. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
  7. ^ "Azerbaijan: WikiLeaks Cable Compares Ilham Aliyev to Movie Mafia Bosses". EurasiaNet.org. 2010-12-02. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
  8. ^ "Talysh: WS on the Case of the Talysh People". UNPO. 2006-03-12. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
  9. ^ "ISN Security Watch - Mr Aliyev goes to Washington". isn.ethz.ch.
  10. ^ "Azerbaijani president: Armenians are guests in Yerevan". REGNUM News Agency J. January 17, 2008.
  11. ^ McGuinness, Damien (24 April 2011). "Azerbaijan cracks down hard on protests". BBC News. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  12. ^ Schwirtz, Michael (4 April 2011). "Opposition in Azerbaijan Vows to Step Up Protests". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  13. ^ "ЗА ЗАСЛУГИ — ОРДЕН ЧЕСТИ". Вышка. 30 мая 2003 года. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Алиев Ильхам Президент Республики Азербайджан.
  15. ^ Template:Fr icon"Le président azerbaïdjanais reçoit les insignes de Grand-Croix de la Légion d'honneur". RIA Novosti. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  16. ^ Template:Ru icon"Ильхам Алиев награжден Большим крестом польского ордена «За заслуги»". Day.az. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  17. ^ Виктор Ющенко наградил Ильхама Алиева орденом князя Ярослава Мудрого І степени
  18. ^ Template:Ru icon"Ильхам Алиев награжден высшими наградами Совета командующих пограничными войсками СНГ". Regionplus.az. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  19. ^ "President of Azerbaijan honored with Gold Medal of Greek Parliament". APA. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  20. ^ Template:Ru icon"Президент Азербайджана награжден орденом Русской Православной церкви «Славы и Чести I степени»". News.Life.az. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  21. ^ "Завершился исторический визит Патриарха всея Руси Алексия в Азербайджан". Православие.Ру. 29.05.01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ "ВСТРЕЧА ПРЕЗИДЕНТА АЗЕРБАЙДЖАНА ИЛЬХАМА АЛИЕВА И ЭМИРА ГОСУДАРСТВА". Газета Бакинский рабочий. 11.02.2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Президенту Азербайджана Ильхаму Алиеву исполнилось 48 лет
  24. ^ "Президенту Азербайджана Ильхаму Алиеву присуждена высшая награда – Гран-при ежегодной премии "Персона года 2009"". Информационное агентство TREND. 2010-02-26.
  25. ^ "Президенту Азербайджана Ильхаму Алиеву вручена награда "Друг журналистов" (ФОТО)". Информационное агентство TREND. 2010-12-29.
  26. ^ "ПРЕЗИДЕНТ АЗЕРБАЙДЖАНА ИЛЬХАМ АЛИЕВ ОБЪЯВЛЕН В РУМЫНИИ «ЧЕЛОВЕКОМ ГОДА»". Газета Бакинский рабочий.
  27. ^ "Azerbaijani President is designated "Man of the Year" by "Balcanii si Europa" magazine". Financiarul. 26 Noiembrie 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ a b c "ПРЕЗИДЕНТ АЗЕРБАЙДЖАНА". Посольство Азербайджанской Республики в Республике Беларусь.
  29. ^ "Ильхаму Алиеву присвоено звание почетного профессора Белорусского госуниверситета". The First News. 12 ноября 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ "Студенты ФГП приняли участие во встрече с Президентом Азербайджана И.Г. Алиевым". Факультет глобальных процессов МГУ имени М.В. Ломоносова. 2008-02-22.
  31. ^ "Azerbaijani president included in 500 most influential Muslims of world book".
  32. ^ "Президент Азербайджана вошел в книгу 500 самых влиятельных мусульман мира" (in Russian).
  33. ^ "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan".
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Azerbaijan
2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Azerbaijan
2003–present 		Incumbent

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