Stalinist repressions in Azerbaijan were repressions carried out in the Azerbaijan SSR from the late 1920s to the early 1950s that affected not only the top leaders of Azerbaijan, but also the clergy, intellectuals, wealthy peasants, and the entire population of Azerbaijan. Repressions included shooting, arresting, sending to labor camps, and deporting the population to other regions of the USSR. People suspected of counter-revolutionary activity, espionage, anti-Soviet propaganda, or obstructing the nationalization of their property were persecuted.
Repression reached its peak during the Great Purge, which was carried out by the NKVD under the direction of higher authorities. This period coincided with the leadership of Mir Jafar Baghirov, who ruled Azerbaijan for 20 years. In Soviet literature, his name is often mentioned in connection with the mass repressions that occurred in the 1930s, as he was typically the main initiator of the repressions that took place in the republic in 1937–1938. However, literature written during and after Perestroika has not yet clearly reflected the extent of Baghirov's responsibility for these events.[1] Swedish political scientist Svante Cornell referred to him as the "Azerbaijan's Stalin",[2] while Russian philosopher and historian Dmitri Furman called him the "Azerbaijani Beria".[3]
- ^ Ismayilov 2015, p. 35.
- ^ Cornell, Svante (2011). Azerbaijan Since Independence. M. E. Sharpe. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-7656-3003-2.
Baghirov was removed from his position as first secretary of the party in Azerbaijan in July 1953, four months after Stalin's death, and "Azerbaijan's Stalin" was sentenced to be executed three years later.
- ^ Dmitry Furman (1994). "Несостоявшаяся революция. Политическая борьба в Азербайджане (1988–1993 годы)" (PDF) (in Russian). No. 4. Дружба народов. p. 152. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2019-02-21.