Azerbaijan marks 20th anniversary of death of former President Heydar Aliyev

By Ruslan Rehimov

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AA) - Azerbaijan on Tuesday marked the 20th anniversary of death of its former President Heydar Aliyev.

A commemoration ceremony was held at the Alley of Honor in Azerbaijan's capital Baku. President Ilham Aliyev also attended the ceremony and laid a wreath on the grave of his father.

Türkiye's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Cahit Bagci also visited Heydar Aliyev's grave together with his embassy advisers and staff.

Heydar Aliyev served as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan between 1969 and 1982, and also as Azerbaijan's president between 1993 and 2003.

He died on Dec. 12, 2003 in the US, where he was getting treatment.

*Writing by Burc Eruygur in Istanbul