MAJOR GENERAL SADYKH BEY (1865-1944). HİS HİSTORİCAL SERVİCEL İN THE CREATİON OF THE REPUBLİCAN ARMY AND POLLİCE

When the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), the first parliamentary republic in the Muslim East, was established on May 28, 1918, Muhammad Sadykh bey Aghabeyzade was already a well-known figure. He was a retired major general from the Russian army. He had recently arrived in Goychay, which was dear to him. The national government led by F. Khoyski invited General M. S. Aghabeyzade to Baku, and by a decision dated October 23, 1918, Muhammad Sadykh bey Aghabeyzade was appointed Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the ADR. M. S. Aghabeyzade served as Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs until the end of December 1919. During his term, three ministers served as the Minister of Internal Affairs: Behbud Khan Javanshir (August 17, 1918 – December 25, 1918), Khalil bey Khasmammadov (December 26, 1918 – March 14, 1919), and Nasib bey Yusifbeyli (March 14, 1919 – December 2, 1919). Since the ADR was a parliamentary republic, all three ministers devoted more time to political activities. Under such circumstances, many organizational and administrative responsibilities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs fell on the deputy minister. Major General M. S. Aghabeyzade tirelessly served in the formation and development of the national police of Azerbaijan and in the preparation of the legal framework for the police system. He prepared a reform concept for the ADR police. Thanks to the efforts of M. S. Aghabeyzade, several regulatory documents were prepared and adopted during the ADR period, including “On the Organization of Police Departments,” “On the Police Department,” and “On General, District, and City Police.” Under the organization of Major General M. S. Aghabezadeh, a training school for police officers (gorodovoy) was opened in Icherisheher, Baku. During his time as Deputy Minister, Muhammad Sadykh bey played an active role in organizing internal affairs bodies, establishing order and discipline within the country, shaping the structure of internal affairs bodies, and organizing the Cabinet’s activities. By 1919, the total number of police officers in Azerbaijan reached 9,661. Major General Muhammad Sadykh bey Aghabeyzade was a high-level personality—brave, intelligent, decisive, and extremely modest. On January 23, 1920, Muhammad Sadykh bey Aghabeyzade retired. Shortly before the fall of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in April 1920, M. S. Aghabeyzade went to Batumi. His aim was to travel to Germany for medical treatment. Had he remained in the country, he would likely have shared the tragic fate of other Azerbaijani generals like Hamid Gaytabashi, Habib bey Salimov, and Tatlan bey Aliyarbeyov. By mid-May, his brothers Rahim bey and Hazrat bey Aghabayov, as well as his nephew Huseyn bey Aghabayov, were arrested for allegedly “hiding the deputy minister” and trying to smuggle him abroad. Their properties were also confiscated. Muhammad Sadykh bey Aghabeyzade first lived in Turkey, then went to France, where he endured difficult times. Upon the invitation of Professor Zygmunt Smokoryevski, he arrived in the city of Lviv, Poland, and began teaching at Lviv University named after Jan Kazimierz in the 1926/1927 academic year.