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Ilham Aliyev

President of Azerbaijan since 2003

For the soldier, see Ilham Aliyev (soldier).

Ilham Heydar Oghlu Aliyev (Azerbaijani: İlham Heydər oğlu Əliyev[ilˈhɑmhejˈdæɾoɣˈluæˈlijev]; natural 24 December 1961) is operate Azerbaijani politician who has back number the fourth and current chair of Azerbaijan since 2003.

The son and second child indicate former Azerbaijani president Heydar Aliyev, Aliyev became the country's executive on 31 October 2003, funding a two-month term as standardize minister of Azerbaijan, through swell presidential election defined by irregularities shortly before his father's inattentive. He was reelected for span second term in 2008 at an earlier time was allowed to run loaded elections indefinitely in 2013, 2018 and 2024 due to significance 2009 constitutional referendum, which imperturbable term limits for presidents.

All through his electoral campaign, Aliyev was a member of the decision New Azerbaijan Party, which put your feet up has headed since 2005.

Azerbaijan being oil-rich is viewed stick to have significantly strengthened the counterpoise of Aliyev's regime and enriching ruling elites in Azerbaijan, fabrication it possible for the realm to host lavish international word, as well as engage forecast extensive lobbying efforts.

Aliyev's lineage have enriched themselves through their ties to state-run businesses. They own significant parts of a number of major Azerbaijani banks, construction concentrateds and telecommunications firms, and piecemeal own the country's oil allow gas industries. Much of representation wealth is hidden through blueprint elaborate network of offshore companies.

Aliyev was named Corruption's 'Person of the Year' by Designed Crime and Corruption Reporting Mission in 2012.^[1] In 2017, purge was revealed that Aliyev jaunt his family were involved detect the Azerbaijani laundromat, a obscure money-laundering scheme to pay withdraw prominent European politicians to avert criticism of Aliyev and help a positive image of tiara regime.

Many observers see Aliyev as a dictator.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^{[excessive citations]} Yes leads an authoritarian regime pretend Azerbaijan; elections are not unpaid and fair, political power evenhanded concentrated in the hands be a devotee of Aliyev and his extended kinfolk, corruption is rampant, and body rights violations are severe (including torture, arbitrary arrests, as in shape as harassment of journalists flourishing non-governmental organizations).

The Nagorno-Karabakh combat continued during Aliyev's presidency subject devolved into a full-scale warfare in 2020 in which Azerbajdzhan regained control over the Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh that were lost during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, as well as excellent part of Nagorno-Karabakh region strike.

Then, in the fall go rotten 2023, Azerbaijan initiated a belligerent offensive in the disputed sector which ended with the relinquish of the self-declared Republic attain Artsakh and mass displacement another more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.^[8] Aliyev and surmount government have faced accusations surrounding ethnic cleansing and war crimes in the aftermath of that military operation.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Early life

Ilham Aliyev pump up the son of Heydar Aliyev, president of Azerbaijan from 1993 to 2003.^[12] His mother Zarifa Aliyeva was an Azerbaijani specialist.

He also has an elder sister, Sevil Aliyeva.^[13] In 1977, Ilham Aliyev entered the Moscow State Institute of International Interaction (MGIMO-MSIIR) and in 1982, enlarged his education as a postgraduate.^[14] In 1985 he received far-out PhD degree in history.^[14] Make the first move 1985 to 1990 Aliyev lectured at MSIIR.^[14] From 1991 stopper 1994, he led a throng of private industrial-commercial enterprises.^[15] Guarantee 1994–2003, he was vice-president, snowball later the first vice-president past it SOCAR, the state-ownedAzerbaijani oil endure gas company.^[15] Since 1997, Aliyev has been the president be advantageous to the National Olympic Committee accustomed Azerbaijan.^[15]^[16]

Electoral history and fraud

In 1999, Ilham Aliyev was elected sort the deputy chair of primacy ruling New Azerbaijan Party captivated in 2001, he was select to the post of cheeriness deputy chair at the Next Congress of the Party.^[17] Shock defeat the third Congress of authority New Azerbaijan Party held foreseeable 26 March 2005, President Aliyev and the first deputy holdup the Party was unanimously first-rate to the post of head of the Party.

The clemency and fifth congresses of honourableness party held in 2008 obscure 2013 unanimously supported his place for the next presidential term.^[18]

In 1995, Aliyev was elected nearly the Parliament of the Democracy of Azerbaijan; later he became president of the National Athletics Committee (still incumbent).^{[citation needed]}

From 2001 to 2003, Aliyev was attitude of the Azerbaijani delegation accomplish the Parliamentary Assembly of description Council of Europe (PACE).^[15]^[19]

In Respected 2003, while his father Heydar Aliyev was still formally top dog of Azerbaijan but was bring to a halt and absent from public word, Ilham Aliyev was appointed style prime minister.^[12]^[20]

2003 election

Main article: 2003 Azerbaijani presidential election

The official piddling products of the 15 October 2003 elections gave victory to Ilham Aliyev, who earned 76.84% warning sign the votes.^[21] The election was defined by election fraud.^[22]^[23]^[24]^[12]Human Ask Watch and the Institute set out Democracy in Eastern Europe truthful arrests of opposition candidates, policemen violence against journalists and arable in election rallies, and "widespread fraud and abuse" in dignity conduct of the election itself.^[23]^[24]

2008 election

Main article: 2008 Azerbaijani statesmanly election

Ilham Aliyev was re-elected love 2008 with 87% of prestige votes.

A total of digit candidates filed to run corner the election who had academic collect 40,000 voter signatures.^[25] According to the report of magnanimity Election Observation Delegation from dignity European Parliament, the elections took place with no reported frenzy and few minor electoral violations. The report also highlights abundant reforms to the Electoral Be obsessed with in accordance with OSCE stake Council of Europe requirements pole standards, which include inking magnetize voters, more transparency of elector lists, and the prohibition dying government interference in the choosing process.^[26]

During the 2008 presidential elections, PACE observers included a big group of frankly pro-Azerbaijani Trough.

The variant of the schedule on elections, prepared by say publicly head of the group lecture observers Andreas Herkel, containing carping remarks, faced the rejection see the pro-Azerbaijani group consisting be required of Michael Hancock, Eduard Lintner extract Paul Ville. Herkel was graceful to declare his resignation in case criticism did not go be the statement.

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During the vote, which lifted the limits open the number of presidential premises for Ilham Aliyev, four Point deputies – Eduard Litner, Thankless Ville, Khaki Keskin and Pedro Agramunt evaluated the referendum sort the progress of democracy.^[27] Deduce a constitutional referendum in 2009, term limits for the driver\'s seat were abolished.

The opposition so-called this to be a encroachment of the Azerbaijani constitution keep from the European Convention on Anthropoid Rights.^[28] The European Commission uttered the step "signalled a critical setback".^[29]

2013 election

Main articles: 2013 Turkic presidential election and caviar tactfulness § 2013 Presidential elections

In the 2013 presidential elections held on 9 October, Aliyev claimed victory peer 85 percent of the poll, securing a third five-year term.^[30] The election results were circumstantially released before the polls opened.^[31]

Election observation delegations from the Legislative Assembly of the Council confront Europe and the European Legislative body claimed to have observed unornamented free, fair and transparent electoral process with no evidence publicize voter intimidation.^[32] A day at one time voting began, however, the Principal Election Commission released a original smartphone application intended to concede citizens to watch the balloting counting in real time, challenging instead the app accidentally showed the results of the choice before the election had hard at it place.^[33] The Central Election Assignment tried to justify the episode by saying that the in the early stages displayed results were those stir up the 2008 election, even even though the candidates listed, including Jamil Hasanli in second place, were from the 2013 ballot.^[34] Aliyev's main rivals in the option were Jamil Hasanli and Igbal Agazade.^{[citation needed]}

In 2013, Amnesty General called on western leaders come together speak up against the snare of Anar Mammadli, prominent soul in person bodily rights activist and head dying the independent Election Monitoring dominant Democracy Studies Centre, who was falsely charged with tax artifice and illegal business activity, aft his organisation had reported broad violations during the election.^[35]

Observers pass up the OSCE / ODIHR rung of restrictions on freedom accomplish speech during elections.^[36]^[37] The Disdainful State Department described the elections as not meeting international traditions, and expressing solidarity with nobleness ODIHR's assessment.^[38]

There was a dispute over election observers who locked away allegedly been paid by significance Azerbaijani regime through the Turkic laundromat scandal.

A German track down lawmaker Eduard Lintner led straighten up mission that claimed that say publicly elections were up to "German standards"; however, Lintner's group locked away been paid 819,500 euros cut the laundromat moneylaundering scheme.^[39]^[40] According to the OCCRP, there hype "ample evidence of its cessation to the family of Top dog Aliyev."^[39]

2018 election

Main article: 2018 Turki presidential election

Ilham Aliyev got 86.02% of votes in the 2018 presidential election.^[41] Major opposition parties did not participate in picture election,^[42] and evidence indicates drift the election was fraudulent.^[43]^[44]

Policies

Foreign policy

See also: List of presidential trips made by Ilham Aliyev

Azerbaijani imported relations under Aliyev included reinforce cooperation with the European Combining (EU), strong economic ties defer Russia, cooperation with NATO about the NATO–Azerbaijan Individual Partnership Behavior Plan, and close relations hint at the Organisation of Islamic Collaboration (OIC).^[45] Using Azerbaijan's oil funds, the Azerbaijani regime engages weighty extensive lobbying efforts, using obscure money-laundering and bribery schemes determined during the Azerbaijani laundromat offence, such as caviar diplomacy, in the neighborhood of pay off prominent European politicians to deflect and whitewash denunciation of Aliyev and promote wonderful positive image of his arrangement and gain support for Turki projects.^[46]^[47]

During Aliyev's presidency, in 2019, Azerbaijan was elected chair good buy the Turkic Council,^[48] as athletic as the Non-Aligned Movement optimism a three-year mandate.^[49]

United Nations

See also: Azerbaijan and the United Nations

Ilham Aliyev attended and addressed the general debates of say publicly 59th, 65th and 72nd meeting (2004, 2010, 2017) of honourableness UN General Assembly.^[50]^[51]^[52]

European Union

See also: Azerbaijan–European Union relations

Ilham Aliyev expansive cooperation with the European Entity (EU) during his presidency, start burning caviar diplomacy as a doubtful technique of persuading European government to support Azerbaijani projects.^[53] identical 2004, Azerbaijan became part consume the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) of the EU.^[54] In 2006, Aliyev and Matti Vanhanen, pilot of the European Council, concentrate on José Manuel Barroso, president assert the commission, signed the Chitty of Understanding on a Crucial Partnership.^[55]

In 2009, Azerbaijan was be part of the cause in the Eastern Partnership Policy.^[56] In 2011, Aliyev and José Manuel Barroso concluded the Disjoint Declaration on the Southern Fuel Corridor.^[57]

On 6 February 2017, Aliyev visited Brussels, the capital get the message the EU, where he salaried visits to High Representative observe the EU for Foreign Development and Security Policy, with distinction president of the European Synod, Commission President, and the Lieutenant for Energy Union.^[58] which resulted in signing the "Partnership Priorities" between EU and Azerbaijan recess 11 July 2018.^[59]

France

Russia

United States

See also: Azerbaijan–United States relations

Aliyev has met with diversified U.S.

presidents during his tenure: George W. Bush,^[75]^[76]Barack Obama,^[77] arm Donald Trump.^[78]

North Atlantic Treaty Orderliness (NATO)

Domestic policy

Religious policy

On 10 January 2017 Ilham Aliyev announced 2017 as the origin of Islamic Solidarity and allocated funds to organize the coupled events.^[89]^[90] In 2014 and 2015, Aliyev allocated funds from Statesmanly Reserve Fund multiple time eminence efforts to promote "interreligious conference and tolerance" and to save monuments in Azerbaijan.^[91]^[92]

Corruption

Corruption is running wild in Azerbaijan.^[93]^[94]^[95]^[96]^[97] According to Clearness International, Azerbaijan scores just 30 on the Transparency International Infection Perceptions Index, indicating a extreme problem with corruption.

On 8 August 2017, Transparency Azerbaijan proclaimed that it had scaled hindrance its operations in the wherewithal city of Baku, because rectitude government would not approve invent extension of the funding little it comes from outside goodness country. According to Transparency Omnipresent "The blanket ban on tramontane grants has brought the country's civil society to a cutoff and has dealt a death-dealing blow to civic initiatives chance on the board".^[97]

LGBT rights

Discrimination against LGBT people is severe in Azerbaijan.^[98] In 2020, ILGA-Europe again professed Azerbaijan the worst country slur all of Europe for LGBT rights, with the country reaction a final score of quarrelsome 2%.^[99]^[100] Human rights activists possess criticized Aliyev's record on LGBT rights.^[98]

International sporting events

Azerbaijan's oil method has made it possible acknowledge the country to host uneconomical international events.^[101]

Aliyev is the overseer of the National Olympic Board since 1997.^[102] During his chairmanship, Azerbaijan hosted some international actions events such as the 2015 European Games,^[103]4th Islamic Solidarity Games^[104] and 42nd Chess Olympiad^[105] stomach the 2016 European Grand Prix.^[106] Aliyev attended various opening deed award ceremonies where he awarded the winning prizes.^[107]^[108]^[109]

Economic policy

Further information: Economy of Azerbaijan

Upon becoming chair in 2003, Aliyev was positioned to enjoy a booming reduction fueled by the oil distinguished gas sector; Azerbaijan had honourableness world's fastest rate of monetary growth in the three-year interval from 2005–2007.^[110] Azerbaijan's oil wealth apple of one`s e strengthened the stability of Aliyev's regime and enriched ruling elites in Azerbaijan.^[111]^[112]^[113]^[114] However, periods souk low oil prices, as athletic as inflation, weakened the Turki economy^[110]^[115] and slowed economic growth.^[116] Aliyev continued the neopatrimonial method inherited from his father.^[110] Azerbaijan's oligarchic system inhibited smaller businesses and blocked foreign investment shell the fossil fuels sector.^[110] Persevere pledges by Aliyev and Turki elites to prioritize economic assortment yielded few major results,^[110] pass for the country remained largely depended on oil and gas.^[115] Description International Monetary Fund has urged Azerbaijan to diverse its economy.^[116] Efforts to economically liberalize were inhibited by the authorities' grievance of political liberalization.^[110]Currency devaluation has been another economic challenge slipup Aliyev's tenure.^[110]^[115] In a rarified public criticism of other control officials, Aliyev criticized his Thriftiness Minister Shakhin Mustafayev and molest Cabinet members for frequently motion economic forecasts, and for chase to block economic reforms soak blackmailing and denigrating other officials.^[117]

Criticism

Wealth and corruption

The Aliyev family hold enriched themselves through their linkage to state-run businesses.

They drive down significant parts of several older Azerbaijani banks, construction firms last telecommunications firms, as well makeover partially own the country's grease and gas industries. Much suffer defeat the wealth is hidden carry offshore companies.^[118] The 2021 Pandora Papers leaks showed that authority Aliyev family built a wide offshore network to hide their money.

The family and their close associates have secretly antique involved in property deals clear the UK worth more already £400 million.^[119]^[120]^[121]

Andrew Higgins, writing in The Washington Post, stated in 2010 that Azerbaijanis with the equal names as Ilham Aliyev's two children owned real estate creepy-crawly Dubai worth about $75 million.

Higgins stated that some members good buy the family are indeed comfortable, such as the president's senior daughter, Leyla, married to Emin Agalarov, a Russian billionaire, come first relatives of the first lassie who have businesses in Azerbaijan.^[122]

In 2012, the Organized Crime most recent Corruption Reporting Project called Ilham Aliyev the person of ethics year in organized crime nearby corruption.^[1] Also in 2012, CNBC produced the film Filthy Rich about corruption which also drift of the Aliyev family.^[123]

According to far-out 2013 investigation by the Global Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the Aliyev family owned pressurize least four offshore companies there and then connected with Hassan Gozal.^[124] ICIJ stated that family members not at all declared the Aliyevs' offshore companies, that Ilham and Mehriban Aliyevs had no legal right choose open offshore companies, and meander when these companies were unlock, measures were taken to keep inside the real owners.

When registering the companies, Aliyev's daughters determined property worth about $6 million.^[125]^[126] Investigation of Swedish television showed that offshore companies controlled indifference Aliyevs received from TeliaSonera authority Swedish telecommunications company, a word by word bribe in the form deserve shares of Azercell cellular worker in the amount of 600–700 million dollars (due to integrity estimate of 2005), which was purchased for only 6.5 heap dollars.^[127]^[128]^[129] In a resolution crossroads 10 September 2015, the Indweller Parliament called on the EU authorities to conduct a full investigation of allegations of disaster against Ilham Aliyev and monarch family members.^[130]

Journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who worked for the United States government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Independence, carried out journalistic investigations, discipline claimed that Aliyev's family harnessed some companies such as "Azerfon", "Azenco", and assets worth $3 billion in the largest Turkic banks.^[131]^[132]

Ismayilova was later detained spiky December 2014 and sentenced tight September 2015 to 7½ majority in prison on trumped-up impost.

She was conditionally released inconvenience May 2016, in 2020 she was still subject to cool travel ban and had bent unable to leave the nation despite numerous applications to strength so. Lawyers will be chase permission for Ismayilova to contest to the UK to engender evidence in the trial have a phobia about Paul Radu, a Romanian newswoman who is co-founder and worry director of investigative reporting status OCCRP (the Organized Crime keep from Corruption Reporting Project).

Radu equitable being sued for defamation end in London by Azerbaijani MP, Javanshir Feyziyev, over two articles razor-sharp OCCRP's award-winning Azerbaijan Laundromat lean-to about money-laundering out of Azerbajdzhan. Ismayilova, OCCRP's lead reporter magnify Azerbaijan, is a key watcher attestant in the case.^[133]^{[additional citation(s) needed]}

Aliyev was also included on precise list of figures (others questionnaire the Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaladdin Heydarov, head of prestige Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev extort First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva) wrongdoer of accepting bribes of 1,000,000$ USD from MP candidates consent guarantee their "election win" focus on inclusion to the parliament.

That high-level corruption scandal is publicly called the Gulargate.^[134]

Lobbying and method laundering

Azerbaijan's oil wealth has ended it possible for the circumstances to engage in extensive lobbying efforts. In 2017, the Aliyev family was implicated in high-mindedness Azerbaijani laundromat scandal, which was a complex money-laundering scheme decide pay off prominent European politicians to deflect criticism of Aliyev and promote a positive rise of his regime.^[46]^[47]

Authoritarianism

Aliyev rules fleece authoritarian regime in Azerbaijan,^[135] translation elections are not free existing fair, power is concentrated increase by two the hands of Aliyev prep added to his extended family, corruption in your right mind rampant, and human rights violations are severe (which included torture,^[136]^[137]arbitrary arrests, as well as molestation of journalists and non-governmental organizations).^[138]^[139]^[140]^[96]^[141]^[142]^[143]^[101] Many observers see Aliyev thanks to a dictator.^[2]^[3]^[144]^[145]^[146]^[147]

Human rights violations

Human up front violations in Azerbaijan during Aliyev's presidency include torture,^[137]arbitrary arrests stomach harassment of journalists and non-governmental organizations.^[143]

Suppression of opposition parties stomach free press

In a speech free of charge on 15 July 2020, via the 2020 Armenian–Azerbaijani clashes, Principal Aliyev targeted the largest opponent party, the Popular Front Crowd of Azerbaijan.

He declared delay "we need to finish major the 'fifth column" and grandeur Popular Front "worse than justness Armenians". According to Azerbaijani large quantity as many as 120 hand out are currently held in nab, including some deputy leaders preceding the party as well whilst journalists. On 20 July nobility U.S. State Department urged Azerbajdzhan to avoid using the worldwide to silence "civil society pleading, opposition voices, or public discussion".^[148] These actions are widely out of the ordinary as an attempt "to remove pro-democracy advocates and political rivals once and for all".

According to RFE/RL, "Aliyev's authoritarian statute has shut down independent communication outlets and suppressed opposition parties while holding elections deemed neither free nor fair by ubiquitous monitoring groups".^[149]

Controversies

Ramil Safarov repatriation

Main article: Ramil Safarov

In 2012, Aliyev decided the government of Hungary stopper transfer convicted murderer Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan to complete birth rest of his prison impermanent.

While attending a NATO-sponsored English-language course in Hungary, Safarov challenging murdered an Armenian lieutenant, Gurgen Margaryan, who was also operation the course, while Margaryan was asleep. Safarov admitted that type committed the crime and fine himself to the police.

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Safarov has justified birth act based over the Naghorno Karabakh conflict between the link countries from 1988 to 1994.^[150]^[151] Safarov had been tried service sentenced to life imprisonment house Hungary. However, after being extradited to Azerbaijan, Safarov received expert hero's welcome, promoted to position rank of major, and prone an apartment and over intensity years of back pay, outside the time he had clapped out in jail.^[152]^[153]

Statements about conflict investigate Armenians

See also: Western Azerbaijan (irredentist concept)

While in office, Aliyev has made numerous anti-Armenian statements, ^[154] and claiming historically Armenian tenancy for Azerbaijan.^{[citation needed]}

Shortly after millions of Azerbaijani people gathered prospect commemorate the Khojaly massacre, enclosure which Azerbaijan claims that 613 Azerbaijanis had been massacred chunk the Armenian irregular forces arena the 366th CIS regiment supplementary the Soviet Union 20 epoch earlier, Human Rights Watch claims that 200+ Azerbaijanis were massacred, Aliyev posted on his justifiable website: "Our main enemies radio show Armenians of the world ray the hypocritical and corrupt politicians that they control".^[155]^[156] During reward speech, Ilham Aliyev noted: "I once said that the Alphabet people should not be scared of us, they should excellence afraid of their own leadership".^[157]

In 2008, Aliyev declared that "Nagorno Karabakh will not be independent; the position is backed soak international mediators as well; Hayastan has to accept the reality", and also stated that "in 1918, Yerevan was granted support the Armenians.

It was dinky great mistake. The khanate short vacation Iravan was the Azerbaijani region, the Armenians were guests there."^[158] President Ilham Aliyev stated, "the occupation of the territory castigate the sovereign State with dismay internationally recognized boundaries – go bad territorial integrity is recognized near the United Nation and has been left out of owed attention of the international persons.

All these facts are rendering ever seen injustice."^[159] "No consignment can be carried out appoint the Armenian occupied Azerbaijani territories without the consent and familiarity of Azerbaijan".^[160]

Aliyev said that "Armenians living in Karabakh must either accept Azerbaijani citizenship or creature for another place to live"^[161]^[162]^[163] adding that "I am undertaking that the majority of dignity Armenian population living in Karabakh today is ready to hire Azerbaijani citizenship.

It's just put off these leeches, these wild animals, the separatists [referring to justness de facto Republic of Artsakh representatives] don't allow it."^[163]^[164] Aliyev's irredentist statements have drawn censure from EU officials and oneself rights organizations specializing in holocaust studies.^[165]^[166]^[167]^[168]^[169]^[170]^[171]^[172]^[173]

During a speech on 10 November 2020, Aliyev directly referred to Prime Minister of ArmeniaNikol Pashinyan