Ayaz Mutallibov

{{Infobox officeholder

| birth_name = Ayaz Niyazi oghlu Mutallibov

| native_name = {{nobold|Ayaz Mütəllibov}}

| image = Ayaz Mutalibov 1992.jpg

| caption = Mutallibov in 1992

| nationality = Azerbaijani

| order = 1st President of Azerbaijan

| term_start = 18 May 1990{{Efn|As president of the Azerbaijan SSR, then part of the Soviet Union.}}

| term_end = 6 March 1992

| primeminister = Hasan Hasanov

| predecessor = Position established
(Himself as First Secretary of the Azerbaijan Communist Party)

| successor = Yaqub Mammadov (acting)

| order2 =

| primeminister2 = Firuz Mustafayev (acting)
Rahim Huseynov

| term_start2 = 14

| term_end2 = 18 May 1992

| predecessor2 = Yaqub Mammadov (acting)

| successor2 = Isa Gambar (acting)
Abulfaz Elchibey

| office3 = First Secretary of the Azerbaijan Communist Party

| term_start3 = 25 January 1990

| term_end3 = 14 September 1991

| 1blankname3 = General Secretary

| 1namedata3 = Mikhail Gorbachev

| predecessor3 = Abdulrahman Vezirov

| successor3 = Position abolished
(Himself as President of Azerbaijan)

| office4 = Full member of the 28th Politburo

| term_start4 = 14 July 1990

| term_end4 = 29 August 1991

| office5 = Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR

| 1blankname5 = First Secretary

| 1namedata5 = Abdurrahman Vazirov

| term_start5 = 27 January 1989

| term_end5 = 26 January 1990

| predecessor5 = Hasan Sayidov

| successor5 = Hasan Hasanov

| office6 = Chairman of the State Planning Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR

| term_start6 = 30 October 1982

| term_end6 = 27 January 1989

| predecessor6 = Sabit Abbasaliyev

| successor6 = Rahim Huseynov

| office7 = Minister of Local Industry of the Azerbaijan SSR

| term_start7 = 4 July 1979

| term_end7 = 30 October 1982

| predecessor7 = Alibala Asadullayev

| successor7 = Sanan Akhundov

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1938|5|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union (now Azerbaijan)

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|3|27|1938|5|12|df=y}}

| death_place = Baku, Azerbaijan

| spouse = {{marriage|Adila Mutallibova|1961|2019|reason=died}}

| children = 2

| party = {{plainlist|

Azerbaijan Communist Party (until 1991)
Independent (1991–2003)
Social Democratic Party (2003–2022)

}}

| vicepresident =

| signature = Signature of Ayaz Mutallibov.png

| native_name_lang = az

}}

Ayaz Niyazi oghlu Mutallibov{{efn|{{langx|az|Ајаз Нијази оғлу Мүтәллибов|italic=no|Ayaz Niyazi oğlu Mütəllibov}}, {{langx|ru|Аяз Ниязович Муталибов|Ayaz Niyazovich Mutalibov}}}} (12 May 1938 – 27 March 2022{{Cite web|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/former-azerbaijani-president-ayaz-mutallibov-dies-at-age-83/2547581|title = Former Azerbaijani President Ayaz Mutallibov dies at age 83}}{{Cite web|url = https://mena24tv.com/en/2022/03/27/the-death-of-the-first-president-of-azerbaijan/|title = The death of the first president of Azerbaijan|date = 27 March 2022|access-date = 28 March 2022|archive-date = 20 September 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220920172636/https://mena24tv.com/en/2022/03/27/the-death-of-the-first-president-of-azerbaijan/|url-status = dead}}) was an Azerbaijani politician who served as the first president of Azerbaijan. He was the last leader of Soviet Azerbaijan, and first President of Azerbaijan from 18 May 1990 until 6 March 1992 and from 14 May until 18 May 1992.

He rose through the ranks of the Azerbaijan Communist Party during Soviet Azerbaijan before becoming leader of the party in 1990. Later that year, the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR elected Mutallibov as the first President of Azerbaijan SSR. In September 1991, amid the collapse of the Soviet Union and independence of Azerbaijan, Mutallibov declared himself President of Azerbaijan in an uncontested election. He was ousted from power in May 1992 when he tried to cancel the forthcoming presidential election.

Early life and career

Mutallibov was born on 12 May 1938, in Baku to the family of a physician and later World War II veteran, Niyazi Ashraf oghlu Mutallibov ({{langx|az|Niyazi Əşrəf oğlu Mütəllibov}}), and gynaecologist Kubra Mutallibova (died in 1988).{{cite web|access-date=26 March 2019|title=Mutalibov, Ayaz Niyazovich|url=http://www.eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/368/|date=14 May 2003|website=Caucasian Knot}} Both of his parents were from Shamakhi.

In 1956, Ayaz Mutallibov graduated from the secondary school #189 in Baku. During his youth he was fond of jazz music. He was a member of the school volleyball team. In 1956–62, Mutallibov attended the Azerbaijan State Institute of Petroleum and Chemistry.

In 1964, he became the director of the Baku Refrigerator Factory,{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} and in 1974, he was appointed the General Director of the "BakElectroBytMash" State Industrial Company.

Political career

In 1977, he was appointed Second Secretary of the Azerbaijan Communist Party Committee in the Narimanov District of Baku. In 1979, he was promoted to the republic's Council of Ministers, assuming the post of Minister of Local Industry of the Azerbaijan SSR. In 1982, he became Chairman of the State Planning Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR. In January 1989, he was appointed Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR.

Party leadership and Presidency of Azerbaijan

On 24 January 1990, four days after Soviet troops entered Baku, marking the beginning of the Black January crackdown, Mutallibov, at this point in Moscow, is appointed the First Secretary of the Azerbaijan Communist Party.

On 18 May 1990, the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR elected Mutallibov as the first President of Azerbaijan SSR. In December 1990, at Mutallibov's initiative, the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR officially renamed the country to the Azerbaijan Republic and adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty.

On 17 March 1991, under pressure from Mutallibov, the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan voted for the participation of Azerbaijan in the referendum on the fate of the Soviet Union. On 19 August 1991, according to some reports, while on a visit to Tehran, Mutalibov made a statement in support of the Soviet coup attempt of 1991.[http://old.russ.ru/antolog/1991/vasil2.htm Ольга Васильева, «Путч. Хроника тревожных дней»] However, in 2016, the ex-president of Azerbaijan said that he did not support the putschists.[https://haqqin.az/news/78162 Аяз Муталибов: «Крупная подстава моих врагов»]

In September 1991, amid the collapse of the Soviet Union and independence of Azerbaijan, Mutallibov dissolved the Communist Party of Azerbaijan[https://www.interfax.ru/30years/787269 Компартия Азербайджана объявила о самороспуске] declared himself President of Azerbaijan in an uncontested election.{{Cite book |last=Altstadt |first=Audrey L. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/alts70456 |title=Frustrated Democracy in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan |date=2017 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-70456-4 |pages=50–53 |doi=10.7312/alts70456|jstor=10.7312/alts70456 }} Mutallibov negotiated with the opposition, in particularly the Popular Front party, during his presidency. After pressure from the Popular Front, Mutallibov established a parliament where power was divided between opposition figures and the communist old guard.

= Ousting =

On 6 March 1992, Under pressure from Azerbaijan Popular Front amid substantial Azerbaijani losses in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, Mutallibov was forced to submit his resignation to the National Assembly of Azerbaijan. He handed the presidency to his ally Yaqub Mammadov.{{Cite book |last=Altstadt |first=Audrey L. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/alts70456 |title=Frustrated Democracy in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan |date=2017 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-70456-4 |pages=20 |doi=10.7312/alts70456|jstor=10.7312/alts70456 }} On 14 May, the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan, dominated by the former members of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, heard the case on Khojaly Massacre, relieved Mutallibov of any responsibility, and reversed his prior resignation, restoring him as the President of Azerbaijan.

Upon taking the powers of the presidency again, Mutallibov cancelled the forthcoming presidential elections, which were set to take place on 7 June 1992. A day later, armed forces led by the Azerbaijan Popular Front under the command of Police Colonel Isgandar Hamidov, took control of the offices of the Parliament of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani State Radio and Television, thereby deposing Mutallibov, who left for Moscow. The defunct Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan was dissolved passing the duties to the National Assembly of Azerbaijan formed by equal representation of Azerbaijan Popular Front and former communists. Isa Gambar of the Popular Front party was subsequently made acting president; Gambar reinstated the upcoming presidential elections which were won by Abulfaz Elchibey.

Exile

File:Ilham Aliyev attended ceremony to commemorate Khojaly genocide victims, 2020 13.jpg (center) and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, 2020]]

Mutallibov was in exile in Moscow from May 1992 until July 2012.{{Cite web |title=The first president of Azerbaijan, has returned home after a 20-year exile |url=https://www.turan.az/ext/news/2012/7/free/politics_news/en/2476.htm |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=© TURAN NEWS AGENCY |language=en}} In April 2000, his followers in Baku declared the formation of the new Civil Union Party. In 2003 he joined the Azerbaijan Social Democratic Party (ASDP) and became its co-chairman in exile.Agadjanian, Alexander; Jödicke, Ansgar; Zweerde, Evert van der (2014-10-10). Religion, Nation and Democracy in the South Caucasus. Routledge. p.177. {{ISBN|978-1-317-69157-0}} His son Azad died of cancer on 9 August 2011, leaving only Zaur.[http://www.news.az/articles/politics/42102 Ayaz Mutallibov's son passes away] in July 2012, Mutallibov returned from exile with the permission of President Ilham Aliyev to attend his son's funeral. It was his first visit to the country after 1992.

= Death =

He died at the age of 83 on 27 March 2022, in Baku after a long illness, having been hospitalized for some time.{{Cite web|url=https://rg.ru/2022/03/27/v-baku-umer-pervyj-prezident-azerbajdzhana-aiaz-mutalibov.html|title=В Баку умер первый президент Азербайджана Аяз Муталибов|date=27 March 2022 |access-date=2022-03-27|archive-date=2022-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408194114/https://rg.ru/2022/03/27/v-baku-umer-pervyj-prezident-azerbajdzhana-aiaz-mutalibov.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5281239|title=Умер первый президент Азербайджана Аяз Муталибов|date=27 March 2022 |access-date=2022-03-27|archive-date=2022-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327201813/https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5281239|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://ria.ru/20220327/mutalibov-1780371543.html|title=Умер первый президент Азербайджана Аяз Муталибов|date=27 March 2022 |access-date=2022-03-27|archive-date=2022-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327232506/https://ria.ru/20220327/mutalibov-1780371543.html|url-status=live}}

Personal life

Mutallibov was married to Adila Mutallibova, who died in 2019.{{cite web|access-date=7 July 2019|title=Heydar Aliyev Foundation undertakes organizational issues of Adila Mutallibova's mourning ceremony|url=https://report.az/en/domestic-politics/heydar-aliyev-foundation-undertakes-organizational-issues/|website=Report News Agency}} Mutalibov met his wife in 1956 at the birthday party of a mutual friend.{{cite news|title="Мой внук говорит по-русски с рязанским акцентом"|publisher=Экспресс-газета|url=https://www.eg.ru/politics/5760/|date=2004-07-01}} They had two sons, Azad and Zaur, grandson Tahir and granddaughter Madina. In an interview with Express Gazeta, Mutalibov spoke about his youthful hobbies, saying he loved to listen to jazz, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles, for which he was often criticized by a Komsomol newspaper. In his youth he was also actively involved in sports and was fond of volleyball.

Awards

2 Orders of the Red Banner of Labor{{cite book| author = Николай Александрович Зенькович | chapter = | chapter-url = | format = | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=o9I0SDET8jsC&dq=%D0%B0%D1%8F%D0%B7+%D0%BC%D1%83%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B2&pg=PA393 | title = Самые закрытые люди: энциклопедия биографий | orig-year = | agency = | edition = |location= |date = 2002 |publisher= Olma Media Group |volume= | pages = 393| series = | isbn = 9785948500355}}