Rahmon Nabiyev

Rahmon Nabiyevich Nabiyev (5 October 1930 – 11 April 1993) was a Tajikistani politician and engineer who served as the second president of Tajikistan from 1991 until his resignation in 1992. Having previously served in this role briefly for 13 days from September to October 1991, Nabiyev was the shortest-serving president in Tajikistani history and was also the first directly elected Tajikistani president. Born into a family of farmers in Khujand, Nabiyev started working as an accountant on a collective farm at the age of 16 in 1946. In the same year he entered the Leninabad Agricultural College (now Agricultural University of Tajikistan) and graduated in 1949. In 1954, he began to work for two years as the chief engineer of the machine-tractor station in Isfisor. In 1961, Nabiyev joined politics and became the Minister of Agriculture in 1971, serving in this role until in 1973 where he became the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (head of government). Aged 43 upon assuming office, Nabiyev was the youngest Tajikistani head of government ever. In 1982, Nabiyev became the first secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT) and thus the de facto leader of the country, having served in this role until in 1985 where he was ousted in a corruption scandal. In September 1991 shortly after independence, Nabiyev became the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan and thus the president. However, he stepped down 13 days later in early October following intense pressure to do so. Nabiyev participated in the subsequent presidential elections held the following month and was elected president despite accusations of fraud by opponents and was eventually sworn in as president for a second time on 2 December. Nabiyev's presidency was marked by intense political instability, economic hardship, and discontent against his rule. In March...