Ayaz Mutallibov

Lore & Background

Ayaz Mutallibov was born in Baku to a family of physicians; his father was a doctor and World War II veteran, and his mother was a gynecologist, both hailing from Shamakhi. During his youth, he developed a fondness for jazz music and was an active member of his school’s volleyball team. He attended the Azerbaijan State Institute of Petroleum and Chemistry, and after graduating, he became director of the Baku Refrigerator Factory before being appointed General Director of a state industrial company. His political career began in the late 1970s as a district party secretary, and he later held posts as Minister of Local Industry, Chairman of the State Planning Committee, and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR. In January 1990, days after Soviet troops entered Baku during the Black January crackdown, he was appointed First Secretary of the Azerbaijan Communist Party. He was subsequently elected the first President of Azerbaijan SSR by the Supreme Soviet. Amid the Soviet collapse, he dissolved the Communist Party and declared himself president in an uncontested election. He negotiated with opposition groups, including the Popular Front, and established a parliament with divided power. After significant Azerbaijani losses in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he resigned under pressure but was later reinstated by the Supreme Soviet, which cleared him of responsibility for the Khojaly Massacre. He then cancelled the forthcoming presidential elections, prompting armed forces loyal to the Popular Front to depose him, forcing him into exile in Moscow for two decades. He returned to Baku in 2012 with permission from President Ilham Aliyev to attend his son’s funeral.

Reader's Guide

Ayaz Mutallibov’s political career began within the Soviet system, rising through the Azerbaijan Communist Party to become First Secretary in January 1990, days after the Black January crackdown. He was elected the first president of the Azerbaijan SSR by the Supreme Soviet in May 1990. During his tenure, he initiated the official renaming of the country to the Azerbaijan Republic and the adoption of a sovereignty declaration. In September 1991, as the Soviet Union collapsed, he dissolved the Communist Party and declared himself president in an uncontested election. He negotiated with opposition groups, particularly the Popular Front, and established a parliament that divided power between opposition figures and former communists. His presidency was marked by substantial Azerbaijani losses in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, which forced his resignation in March 1992. After a brief restoration in May 1992, during which the Supreme Soviet absolved him of responsibility for the Khojaly Massacre, he cancelled the upcoming presidential elections. This prompted armed forces loyal to the Popular Front to depose him, sending him into exile in Moscow for two decades. His legacy is defined by his transitional role from Soviet rule to independence, but also by the military setbacks and political instability that led to his ousting. He returned to Baku in 2012 with permission from President Ilham Aliyev and died there in 2022.

Did You Know?

• Mutallibov was fond of jazz music and enjoyed listening to Elvis Presley and The Beatles, for which he was criticized by a Komsomol newspaper.
• He was a member of his school volleyball team.
• His parents were both from Shamakhi; his father was a physician and World War II veteran, and his mother was a gynecologist.
• Mutallibov was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner of Labour.