May 28 – Independence Day in Azerbaijan

107 years have passed since the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on May 28, 1918—the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East.

Following the February Revolution in Russia in 1917, the Tsarist Empire was overthrown. This triggered national liberation movements among the oppressed peoples under tsarist rule. On May 28, 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920) was founded as the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East.

Founded by Mammad Amin Rasulzade, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) became the first parliamentary republic and the first democratic, legal, and secular state model in the Turkic and Islamic world.

The first head of the provisional Azerbaijani government was Fatali Khan Khoyski. After functioning in Tiflis (modern-day Tbilisi) for 10 days, the National Council moved to Ganja. Only after the liberation of Baku from Armenian-Russian Dashnak forces by Ottoman troops in September 1918 did the national government relocate to Baku.

Despite its short existence, independent Azerbaijan achieved major milestones. It granted women the right to vote for the first time, ensured gender equality, and established a national army, currency, democratization process, national bank, free elections, and international relations, along with efforts for international recognition of Azerbaijan’s independence, territorial integrity, and economic reforms.

The first country to officially recognize the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the Ottoman Empire, on June 4, 1918.

On November 9, 1918, based on Rasulzade’s proposal, the three-color flag of the ADR was adopted. Until then, the flag had been red.

The ADR only survived for 23 months, operating under extremely tense and complex political conditions. Unfortunately, before it reached its second anniversary, the Republic was invaded and overthrown by the Bolsheviks.

Soviet Russia forcibly incorporated Azerbaijan, ending its independence. However, the idea of freedom never faded. In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan regained its independence.

Today, a monument to the Declaration of Independence stands in Baku to honor the ADR.

From 1991 to 2021, May 28 was celebrated as Republic Day. On October 15, 2021, the Azerbaijani Parliament adopted a new law renaming the holiday as Independence Day, which was immediately signed by President Ilham Aliyev.

With this law, May 28 is now officially known as Independence Day.

In Azerbaijan, Independence Day is a national holiday, observed annually as a public holiday.

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