The Spanish website lainformacion.com has listed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev among the 48 dictators of the world.
“In 1993, the democratically-elected President Abulfaz Elchibey was overthrown by a military insurrection led by Colonel Surat Huseynov, which resulted in the arrival of Heydar Aliyev,” the website writes.
In 2003, Ilham Aliyev succeeded his father as president and his government has been charged with maintaining many of the policies of his predecessor, as well as seeking greater openness to the West and turning Azerbaijan into an industrialized nation.
According to the publication, to date the country has not fulfilled its commitments. “Although its constitution allows conscientious objectors to opt for alternative civilian service, the Government has not yet adopted a law to establish this alternative to military service. Conscientious objectors are currently being pursued, and there are reports of prolonged illegal detentions in military barracks.”
The leaders of Belarus, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are also included in the list.
