Azerbaijan's Turbulent Past: 20 Years Ago

Twenty years ago, Azerbaijan was in the midst of a violent crackdown on Azerbaijani nationalism and anti-Soviet sentiment. On January 19-20, 1990, over 26,000 Soviet troops invaded Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in what became known as Black January or the January Massacre. The troops fired into crowds of protesters, killing hundreds and injuring thousands. This event symbolised the struggle of the Azerbaijani people to regain their freedom and independence from Soviet rule, and it ultimately contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union and the declaration of Azerbaijan's independence in 1991.

Ilham Aliyev was elected president

Twenty years ago, in 2004, Ilham Aliyev was in his first term as president of Azerbaijan. Aliyev was elected on 15 October 2003, winning with 76.84% of the vote. He was inaugurated on 31 October 2003.

Aliyev was appointed prime minister in August 2003, after his father, Heydar Aliyev, who was president at the time, fell ill. In October, Heydar Aliyev withdrew from the upcoming presidential election and handed his candidacy to his son.

Ilham Aliyev's election was marred by allegations of fraud, including the arrest of opposition candidates, police violence against journalists and participants in election rallies, and "widespread fraud and abuse" in the election itself.

Aliyev's election marked the continuation of a dynastic approach to governance in Azerbaijan. He is the son of Heydar Aliyev, who was president of Azerbaijan from 1993 to 2003.

Aliyev's presidency has been characterised by authoritarianism, corruption, and human rights abuses. Elections under his rule are not considered free and fair, and political power is concentrated in the hands of Aliyev and his extended family.

During his first term, Aliyev's focus was on leveraging Azerbaijan's oil wealth to enrich his regime and strengthen the country's stability. He played a crucial role in developing Azerbaijan's ties with Western countries and was positioned to enjoy a booming economy fuelled by the oil and gas sector.

Aliyev was re-elected in 2008, winning 87% of the vote. A constitutional referendum in 2009 abolished presidential term limits, allowing Aliyev to run for re-election indefinitely. He was re-elected in 2013, 2018, and 2024, winning with large margins each time.

Aliyev's later terms have been marked by a continued crackdown on dissent, with restrictions on freedom of speech and the suppression of opposition parties and a free press. He has also gained a reputation for "caviar diplomacy", using Azerbaijan's wealth to bribe foreign journalists, investors, and politicians to deflect criticism and promote a positive image of his regime.

Under Aliyev's presidency, Azerbaijan has also been involved in a conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which devolved into a full-scale war in 2020, resulting in Azerbaijan regaining control over Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.

The election was deemed unfair by international observers

Twenty years ago, on the 20th of January 2004, Azerbaijan was in the midst of a political crisis that would have profound implications for the country's future. The country was reeling from the violent crackdown on Azerbaijani nationalism and anti-Soviet sentiment, known as "Black January", that had occurred just a few years prior, on the 19th and 20th of January 1990.

In the lead-up to Black January, Azerbaijan was in a state of political and social turmoil. Protests and demonstrations demanding independence from the Soviet Union and the ousting of communist officials had been taking place, with the Popular Front of Azerbaijan taking control of several regions. On the 19th of January 1990, Soviet authorities evacuated Baku and positioned themselves in military command posts on the outskirts of the city. That same night, 26,000 Soviet troops entered Baku, smashing through barricades set up by supporters of the Popular Front.

The election that followed in March 1990 was deemed unfair by international observers. The Soviet authorities had imposed a state of emergency and used military force to suppress the Azerbaijani independence movement and crush the Popular Front. This included the demolition of the central television station and the termination of phone and radio lines, effectively cutting off communication channels for the population. The use of military force and the state of emergency, which continued for several months, created an environment that was not conducive to a free and fair election.

The election took place against a backdrop of human rights violations, with Soviet troops attacking protesters and firing into crowds. According to official estimates, 147 civilians were killed, 800 people were injured, and five people went missing during the crackdown. However, unofficial sources put the death toll much higher, with some reports claiming that over 200 people lost their lives. The violence and loss of life during Black January just a few months before the election naturally raised concerns about the fairness and legitimacy of the electoral process.

The election was also deemed unfair due to the lack of media freedom and access to information. With the central television station demolished and communication lines cut, the population was left without access to news and information. This allowed the Soviet authorities to control the narrative and shape public opinion in their favour. Additionally, the short timeframe between the crackdown and the election—just two months—did not allow for sufficient healing or resolution of the underlying political and social tensions.

The international community's concerns about the fairness of the election were further validated by the subsequent history of Azerbaijan's political system. The country has struggled with democratic institutions, free media, and an independent judiciary. There have been consistent reports of human rights abuses, political repression, and a lack of transparency in the political system. The presidency of Ilham Aliyev, who came to power in 2003, has been particularly criticised for intimidation of the press and opposition groups, manipulation of elections, and human rights abuses.

In conclusion, the events of Black January and its aftermath, including the March 1990 election, highlight the challenges faced by Azerbaijan in its pursuit of freedom and democracy. The international community's concerns about the fairness of the election were justified, given the context of violence, repression, and lack of media freedom surrounding the vote.

Aliyev's father, Heydar Aliyev, was Azerbaijan's KGB chief, Communist Party leader, and a member of the USSR's Politburo

Twenty years ago, on January 20, 2004, Azerbaijan was two decades into its independence from the Soviet Union. But freedom, it seemed, was still elusive.

The country's struggle for freedom can be traced back to the early 1990s, when Soviet troops stormed Baku to suppress the independence movement and preserve Communist rule. This event, known as "Black January", resulted in the deaths of over 200 people and injuries to at least 700.

The leader of Soviet Azerbaijan at the time was Ayaz Mutallibov, but the man who would soon rise to power was Heydar Aliyev, Aliyev's father.

Heydar Aliyev was a high-ranking official in the KGB of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, serving for 28 years in Soviet state security organs (1941-1969). He was also the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan from 1969 to 1982, governing Soviet Azerbaijan during this period. Aliyev's rise through the ranks is attributed to his close associations with Leonid Brezhnev and Yuri Andropov.

In 1976, Aliyev became a candidate (non-voting) member of the Soviet Politburo, and in 1982, he was promoted to the office of First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, becoming a full member of the Politburo. Aliyev's influence extended beyond Azerbaijan, as he attained the highest position ever reached by an Azerbaijani in the Soviet Union.

However, his time in the Politburo was cut short in 1987 when he was dismissed by Mikhail Gorbachev, officially on health grounds. The two had fallen out over Gorbachev's anti-corruption campaign, which targeted Aliyev's selective approach to fighting corruption.

After his forced retirement, Aliyev reinvented himself as a moderate nationalist and was elected to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan in 1990. He governed Nakhchivan, his native region, independently from 1991 until he was installed as President of Azerbaijan in 1993 following a military coup that ousted President Abulfaz Elchibey.

Aliyev's regime in Azerbaijan has been described as dictatorial, authoritarian, and repressive, with a heavy-handed police state, rigged elections, and suppressed dissent. A cult of personality developed around him, and he has been criticised for incorporating Soviet methods into the Azerbaijani education system.

Despite the negative aspects of his rule, Aliyev is credited with promoting Azerbaijani culture and language and establishing a policy of tolerance and multiculturalism. He also prioritised improving relations with Russia and the West, attracting foreign investment into Azerbaijan's oil industry.

Heydar Aliyev served as President of Azerbaijan from 1993 until his death in 2003, when his son, Ilham Aliyev, was elected in a fraudulent election and continues to lead the country to the present day.

Aliyev's New Azerbaijan Party has been accused of authoritarianism and worsening the country's human rights record

Twenty years ago, in January 2004, Azerbaijan was already a year into the presidency of Ilham Aliyev, who had become the country's leader in October 2003. Aliyev was a member of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, which he has headed since 2005.

Authoritarianism and Election Fraud

Aliyev's New Azerbaijan Party has been accused of authoritarianism, with elections under the party's rule neither free nor fair. In 2003, the official results of the elections gave victory to Aliyev, with 76.84% of the votes. However, this election was defined by fraud. Human Rights Watch and the Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe documented arrests of opposition candidates, police violence against journalists and participants in election rallies, and "widespread fraud and abuse" in the conduct of the election itself.

In 2013, Aliyev was allowed to run in elections indefinitely after a constitutional referendum removed term limits for presidents. The opposition claimed this was a violation of the Azerbaijani constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. The European Commission called the removal of term limits a "serious setback".

The 2013 elections saw Aliyev claim victory with 85% of the vote, securing a third five-year term. However, the election results were accidentally released before the polls opened. Election observation delegations from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament claimed to have observed a free, fair, and transparent electoral process. However, a day before voting began, the Central Election Commission released a new smartphone application that accidentally showed the results of the election before it had taken place.

In 2018, Aliyev got 86.02% of the votes in the presidential election, but major opposition parties did not participate, and evidence indicates that the election was fraudulent.

Concentration of Power

Accusations of authoritarianism have also been levelled at the Aliyev regime due to the concentration of political power in the hands of Aliyev and his extended family. The Aliyev family has enriched themselves through their ties to state-run businesses and own significant parts of several major Azerbaijani banks, construction firms, telecommunications firms, and the country's oil and gas industries.

Corruption

The concentration of power in the hands of the ruling family has led to rampant corruption in Azerbaijan. The country has been ranked as one of the most corrupt in the world, and Aliyev was named Corruption's 'Person of the Year' by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project in 2012.

In 2017, it was revealed that Aliyev and his family were involved in the Azerbaijani laundromat, a complex money-laundering scheme to pay off prominent European politicians to deflect criticism of Aliyev and promote a positive image of his regime.

Human Rights Violations

Under the rule of Aliyev's New Azerbaijan Party, severe human rights violations have been reported, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and harassment of journalists and non-governmental organizations.

In 2013, a report by Human Rights Watch accused Azerbaijan of imprisoning and harassing political activists and human rights defenders. The situation of human rights in Azerbaijan was further described as "appalling" in a 2019 report by Human Rights Watch, citing "rigid control" by the government and "severely curtailing freedoms of association, expression, and assembly".

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, in 2022, highlighted human rights abuses committed by Azerbaijani military personnel against people of Armenian ethnic origin during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabagh Conflict. The Committee expressed deep concern over "extrajudicial killings, torture and other ill-treatment and arbitrary detention as well as the destruction of houses, schools, and other civilian facilities".

The treatment of LGBT individuals in Azerbaijan has also been a significant concern, with LGBT people facing ill-treatment, extortion, arbitrary detention, and discrimination by state and non-state actors.

Suppression of Opposition and Free Press

The Aliyev regime has been accused of suppressing opposition parties and a free press. In July 2020, during the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani clashes, President Aliyev targeted the largest opposition party, the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, declaring the need to "finish with the 'fifth column" and claiming the Popular Front was "worse than the Armenians". Azerbaijani sources stated that as many as 120 people are currently held in jail, including some deputy leaders of the party as well as journalists.

The authorities have also been hostile towards protests, violently dispersing several of them and jailing peaceful protesters. In March 2022, for example, police in central Azerbaijan used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse villagers who attempted to block a road to protest longstanding critical water shortages.

Freedom of Religion

The Azerbaijan government, which follows a strictly secular and anti-religious ideology, has been accused of substantially curtailing freedom of religion. The government censors religious literature, closes down religious institutions that it considers objectionable, forbids political speech by religious institutions, and does not allow clerics to run for political office.

Right to Liberty and Security

International pressure has been exerted on Azerbaijan to release its political prisoners. While the Azerbaijani government has released some prisoners, many remain in custody, and opposition supporters continue to be detained without proof of wrongdoing.

The Aliyev regime arrested hundreds of opposition members, including a 73-year-old woman

Twenty years ago, in 2004, Azerbaijan was in its eleventh year of independence from the Soviet Union. However, the country was still struggling for freedom, with its government being described as pseudo-democratic and authoritarian.

In 2003, the son of the outgoing president, Heydar Aliyev, Ilham Aliyev, was elected as the new president. This election was deemed to be neither free nor fair by international observers, who noted ballot stuffing and manipulated voter lists. The Aliyev regime arrested hundreds of opposition members, including a 73-year-old woman, and police violently suppressed opposition rallies.

The 2003 election was not an isolated incident of repression and human rights violations in Azerbaijan. The country has been characterised by a lack of democratic institutions, free media, and an independent judiciary. There have been reports of detentions of political prisoners and journalists, as well as widespread corruption.

The Aliyev regime has been described as authoritarian, with power concentrated in the hands of Aliyev and his extended family. Ilham Aliyev has been accused of human rights violations, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and harassment of journalists and non-governmental organisations. The country's oil wealth has significantly enriched ruling elites and strengthened the stability of the regime, allowing it to host lavish international events and engage in extensive lobbying efforts.

In summary, twenty years ago, Azerbaijan was in the midst of a struggle for freedom, with the Aliyev regime arresting hundreds of opposition members and suppressing dissent. The country has continued to face challenges in establishing democratic institutions and protecting human rights, with the Aliyev regime's authoritarian rule and the concentration of power in the hands of a few contributing to these issues.

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