Ali Karimli
Encyclopedia
Ali Karimli born Ali Amirhuseyn oglu Karimov (born April 28, 1965) is an Azeri politician
and the head of the reformist wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party
(APFP).
Karimli was born in the Saatli
region of southeastern Azerbaijan
. After military service in the Soviet army
in 1985, he studied law at the Baku State University
. During his studies he established and headed the Yurd (Homeland) movement which supported democratic reforms. In November 1988, Yurd, supported by intellectuals, organized student meetings in Baku to protest the communist regime. Special units of the security services were used to suppress the demonstrations. Like other Azerbaijani nationalists, Karimov changed his name erasing the Russian ending -ov and became Əli Kərimli.
In July 1989 Karimli led Yurd into the newly created Popular Front of Azerbaijan (PFA) movement. He headed a party cell at his university and participated in the creation of the movement's charter.
In 1991, after receiving his diploma, he started working as a teacher in the Baku State University
Law Department. At the same time, Karimli worked as a correspondent with the independent Azadlıq
(Freedom) newspaper.
In January 1992, he was elected the deputy chairman of the PFA Supreme Council. In April 1993, the head of the PFA and the President of Azerbaijan
Abulfaz Elchibey (Azerbaijan's first elected President after the breakup of the Soviet Union) appointed Karimli as Secretary of State.
After the coup d'etat
in the summer of 1993 which brought Heydər Əliyev to power, Karimli submitted his resignation. In 1995, the PFA was renamed as the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party
(APFP), with Elchibey remaining as its chairman. From 1995 till 2000 Karimli was Elchibey's first assistant. In the parliamentary elections of 1995 and 2000, he was also elected as a member of parliament. In 2000, after Elchibey's death, the APFP broke up into "conservative" and "reformist" wings. Karimli became the head of the "reformists", which was mostly made up of former activists of the Yurd.
Since 2003, Karimli has been calling for creation of a bloc of opposition parties. In spring 2005, under Karimli's initiative, the Freedom
(Azadıq) bloc of three parties was created, comprising the APFP-reformists, the Equality Party
(Müsavat) and the Democratic party.
As another attempt against opposition rights his international passport
was confiscated, making Ali Karimli one of the few opposition leaders of the world without a valid international passport.
Karimli is active in organizing protests
that have rattled Baku
since March 2011, part of a regional wave of unrest
. He was interrogated for eight hours by the office of Attorney General Zakir Qaralov
on 16 April in connection with the protests.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and the head of the reformist wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party
Azerbaijan Popular Front Party
The Azerbaijani Popular Front Party is the main opposition political party in Azerbaijan, founded in 1992 by Abulfaz Elchibey. After Elchibey's death in 2000, the party split into two factions, the reform wing led by Ali Kerimli and the classical wing led by Mirmahmud Miralioglu.During 5 November...
(APFP).
Karimli was born in the Saatli
Saatli
Saatlı may refer to:*Saatly Rayon, Azerbaijan*Saatlı , capital of Saatly Rayon*Saatlı, Barda, Azerbaijan...
region of southeastern Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. After military service in the Soviet army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
in 1985, he studied law at the Baku State University
Baku State University
Baku State University is a public university located in Baku, Azerbaijan. Established in 1919 by the Parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the University started with faculties of history and philology; physics and mathematics; law and medicine with an initial enrollment of 1094...
. During his studies he established and headed the Yurd (Homeland) movement which supported democratic reforms. In November 1988, Yurd, supported by intellectuals, organized student meetings in Baku to protest the communist regime. Special units of the security services were used to suppress the demonstrations. Like other Azerbaijani nationalists, Karimov changed his name erasing the Russian ending -ov and became Əli Kərimli.
In July 1989 Karimli led Yurd into the newly created Popular Front of Azerbaijan (PFA) movement. He headed a party cell at his university and participated in the creation of the movement's charter.
In 1991, after receiving his diploma, he started working as a teacher in the Baku State University
Baku State University
Baku State University is a public university located in Baku, Azerbaijan. Established in 1919 by the Parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the University started with faculties of history and philology; physics and mathematics; law and medicine with an initial enrollment of 1094...
Law Department. At the same time, Karimli worked as a correspondent with the independent Azadlıq
Freedom (Azerbaijan)
Freedom was an electoral alliance of the Musavat , the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party and the Azerbaijan Democratic Party ....
(Freedom) newspaper.
In January 1992, he was elected the deputy chairman of the PFA Supreme Council. In April 1993, the head of the PFA and the President of Azerbaijan
President of Azerbaijan
The country of Azerbaijan is a presidential republic, with the President of Azerbaijan as the head of state, and the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan as head of government...
Abulfaz Elchibey (Azerbaijan's first elected President after the breakup of the Soviet Union) appointed Karimli as Secretary of State.
After the coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
in the summer of 1993 which brought Heydər Əliyev to power, Karimli submitted his resignation. In 1995, the PFA was renamed as the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party
Azerbaijan Popular Front Party
The Azerbaijani Popular Front Party is the main opposition political party in Azerbaijan, founded in 1992 by Abulfaz Elchibey. After Elchibey's death in 2000, the party split into two factions, the reform wing led by Ali Kerimli and the classical wing led by Mirmahmud Miralioglu.During 5 November...
(APFP), with Elchibey remaining as its chairman. From 1995 till 2000 Karimli was Elchibey's first assistant. In the parliamentary elections of 1995 and 2000, he was also elected as a member of parliament. In 2000, after Elchibey's death, the APFP broke up into "conservative" and "reformist" wings. Karimli became the head of the "reformists", which was mostly made up of former activists of the Yurd.
Since 2003, Karimli has been calling for creation of a bloc of opposition parties. In spring 2005, under Karimli's initiative, the Freedom
Freedom (Azerbaijan)
Freedom was an electoral alliance of the Musavat , the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party and the Azerbaijan Democratic Party ....
(Azadıq) bloc of three parties was created, comprising the APFP-reformists, the Equality Party
Equality Party (Azerbaijan)
The Müsavat Party is the oldest existing political party in Azerbaijan. Its history can be divided into three periods: Early Musavat, Musavat-in-exile and New Musavat.-Early Musavat :...
(Müsavat) and the Democratic party.
As another attempt against opposition rights his international passport
International passport
In some countries, the international passport or passport for travel abroad is a second passport, in addition to the internal passport, required for a citizen to travel abroad within the country of residence....
was confiscated, making Ali Karimli one of the few opposition leaders of the world without a valid international passport.
Karimli is active in organizing protests
2011 Azerbaijani protests
The 2011 Azerbaijani protests are an ongoing series of demonstrations being held to protest the government of President Ilham Aliyev. Common themes espoused by demonstrators, many of whom are affiliated with Müsavat and the Popular Front Party, the main opposition parties in Azerbaijan, include...
that have rattled Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
since March 2011, part of a regional wave of unrest
2010–2011 Middle East and North Africa protests
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
. He was interrogated for eight hours by the office of Attorney General Zakir Qaralov
Zakir Qaralov
Zakir Bekir oglu Qaralov , sometimes rendered Zakir Garalov, is a Georgian-born Azerbaijani politician who is currently the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan, an office equivalent to the attorney general in other countries...
on 16 April in connection with the protests.