Ilham Aliyev is the president of Azerbaijan, having served since 2003.[1014] He has ruled with an iron fist, as his father, Heydar Aliyev, did before him.[1015] His two decades in office have been marred by brutal crackdowns and human rights abuses, including the torture and imprisonment of opposition figures and independent journalists.[1014] [891]
Aliyev is married to Mehriban Aliyeva, who he appointed vice president in 2017, and they have three children: Heydar, Leyla, and Arzu.[1014] Aliyev is widely suspected of using his children—particularly Leyla and Arzu—as proxies to loot state coffers and oil revenues. Despite his salary being only $228,000 a year,[885] his daughters have amassed a multibillion-dollar business empire while he has been in office, making his family the richest in Azerbaijan.[534]
Before becoming president, Aliyev headed SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s sprawling state-owned fossil fuel company, which dominates the country’s oil and gas sector.[892]
Ilham Aliyev did not respond to The Sentry’s request for comment.
