Tajaddin Mehdiyev
Encyclopedia
Tajaddin Mehdiyev was the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan
and is the Chairman of Committee for Protection of Rights of Officers in Azerbaijan
.
in December 1991, during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, replacing General Valeh Barshadly
. In an interview with British journalist Thomas de Waal
, Mehdiyev said:
While in office, he personally led an unsuccessful operation in Dashalty
where many Azeri soldiers were ambushed and killed. Additionally, within the 2 months of his term in office, several villages of strategic importance, Karkijahan, Malibeyli and Gushchular
, and Garadaghly
and were lost to Armenian forces. On February 17, 1992 with the fall of Garadaghly village
of Khojavend Rayon where more than 70 Azerbaijani
civilians died and shortly before the fall of Khojaly
, Mehdiyev was officially removed from the post of Minister of Defense. The ministry was then headed briefly by Chief of Staff, Shahin Musayev
before Tahir Aliyev
took over.
In May, 1993 Tajaddin Mehdiyev and deputy Minister of Defense for procurement, Baba Nazirli were arrested and indicted on charges of embezzlement
and appropriation of state financial assets and property. They were then accused of state treason.
from the election district No. 99 of Shamkir Rayon of Azerbaijan but did not get elected. Mehdiyev has been a proponent of big reforms in the way post-career officers are treated while he was the Chairman of Committee for Protection of Rights of Officers. He lobbied changes in salary, health insurance, provision of jobs to members of officers' families due to their relocations and social protection. He was also one of supporters for establishment of Ministry of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan and starting domestic military production. In the last few years, Tajeddin Mehdiyev worked at the Ministry of Defense but was laid off along with other 30 high ranking officers in 2009 due to ongoing reforms in the ministry.
Minister of Defense (Azerbaijan)
The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan is the Azerbaijani government ministry, associated with the Azerbaijani military. The ministry is responsible for keeping Azerbaijan defended against external threats, preserving its territorial integrity, waging war on behalf of Azerbaijan , and the...
and is the Chairman of Committee for Protection of Rights of Officers in 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...
.
Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan
Mehdiyev was appointed Minister of Defense of AzerbaijanMinister of Defense (Azerbaijan)
The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan is the Azerbaijani government ministry, associated with the Azerbaijani military. The ministry is responsible for keeping Azerbaijan defended against external threats, preserving its territorial integrity, waging war on behalf of Azerbaijan , and the...
in December 1991, during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, replacing General Valeh Barshadly
Valeh Barshadly
Valeh Barshadly Eyyub oglu also spelled as Valeh Barshadli, was the first Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan after restoration of its independence in 1991.-Early life:...
. In an interview with British journalist Thomas de Waal
Thomas de Waal
Thomas Patrick Lowndes de Waal , is a British journalist, writer and an expert on the Caucasus. Thomas is the son of Anglican priest Victor de Waal and of writer on religion Esther de Waal, brother of Africa specialist Alex de Waal, John de Waal, barrister and potter and writer Edmund de...
, Mehdiyev said:
While in office, he personally led an unsuccessful operation in Dashalty
Dashalty
Dashalty is a village in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is de-jure part of Azerbaijan but under secessionist Armenian rule. The population consists of ethnic Armenians, and both the Azerbaijani and Armenian names of the village mean below-the-rock, referring to the sheer vertical cliffs towering above...
where many Azeri soldiers were ambushed and killed. Additionally, within the 2 months of his term in office, several villages of strategic importance, Karkijahan, Malibeyli and Gushchular
Malibeyli and Gushchular Massacre
Malibeyli and Gushchular Massacre was the killing of over 15-50 ethnic Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian irregular armed units in a simultaneous attack on the villages of Malibeyli, Ashaghi Gushchular, Yukhari Gushchular of Shusha district of Azerbaijan on 10-12 February 1992 during the...
, and Garadaghly
Qaradagli, Khojavend
Qaradağlı is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan....
and were lost to Armenian forces. On February 17, 1992 with the fall of Garadaghly village
Garadaghly Massacre
Garadaghly Massacre , also known as Garadaghli Genocide, Garadaghli Massacre, Qaradaghli Massacre was the killing of 70-90 ethnic Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian troops in the village of Garadaghly on 17 February 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.-Overview:Garadaghly is a village in Khojavend...
of Khojavend Rayon where more than 70 Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
civilians died and shortly before the fall of Khojaly
Khojaly Massacre
The Khojaly Massacre was the killing of hundreds of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians from the town of Khojaly on 25–26 February 1992 by the Armenian and Russian armed forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
, Mehdiyev was officially removed from the post of Minister of Defense. The ministry was then headed briefly by Chief of Staff, Shahin Musayev
Shahin Musayev
Shahin Musayev Kheyreddin oglu was the deputy Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Chief of Staff, and Acting Minister within a few weeks in January – February , 1992.-Acting Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan:...
before Tahir Aliyev
Tahir Aliyev
Tahir Aliyev Yunis oglu was the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan,Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic and Chairman of State Customs Committee.-Career:...
took over.
In May, 1993 Tajaddin Mehdiyev and deputy Minister of Defense for procurement, Baba Nazirli were arrested and indicted on charges of embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
and appropriation of state financial assets and property. They were then accused of state treason.
Later years
In 2005, Mehdiyev ran for Azerbaijani parliamentNational Assembly of Azerbaijan
The National Assembly , also transliterated as Milli Majlis is the legislative branch of government in Azerbaijan. The unicameral National Assembly has 125 deputies: previously 100 members were elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies and 25 were members elected by proportional...
from the election district No. 99 of Shamkir Rayon of Azerbaijan but did not get elected. Mehdiyev has been a proponent of big reforms in the way post-career officers are treated while he was the Chairman of Committee for Protection of Rights of Officers. He lobbied changes in salary, health insurance, provision of jobs to members of officers' families due to their relocations and social protection. He was also one of supporters for establishment of Ministry of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan and starting domestic military production. In the last few years, Tajeddin Mehdiyev worked at the Ministry of Defense but was laid off along with other 30 high ranking officers in 2009 due to ongoing reforms in the ministry.
See also
- Azerbaijani Army
- Ministers of Defense of Azerbaijan RepublicMinister of Defense (Azerbaijan)The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan is the Azerbaijani government ministry, associated with the Azerbaijani military. The ministry is responsible for keeping Azerbaijan defended against external threats, preserving its territorial integrity, waging war on behalf of Azerbaijan , and the...