Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic
The self-proclaimed Talysh-Mughan Republic (also known as Talyshstan) was a short-lived autonomous republic from June 1993 to August 1993. It was located in Azerbaijan, envisaging to consist in the 6 administrative districts of Azerbaijan around the regional capital city Lankaran: Lankaran, Lankaran rayon, Lerik, Astara, Masally and Yardymli. Historically the area had been a khanate, one of 15 historic Azerbaijani khanates.
The autonomous republic was proclaimed amid turmoil and civil war in Azerbaijan, with the tacit support from Russia. In June 1993 a military rebellion against president Abulfaz Elchibey broke out under the leadership of Colonel Surat Huseynov. Colonel Alakram Alekper Gumbatov, the leader of the Talysh nationalists proclaimed the new autonomous republic in Lankaran, escalating violence. However, as the situation settled and Heydar Aliyev rose to power in Azerbaijan, with legal order and sovereignty being restored in Azerbaijan, the TMAR has not taken off the ground.
Gumbatov was arrested and initially received death sentence which was subsecuently commuted to life imprisonment. In 2004 he was pardoned and released from custody under pressure from the Council of Europe. He was allowed to emigrate to Europe after making a public promise not to engage in politics. A Talysh National Movement is still active, their aspiration being the restructuring of the Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic [1].
TMAR should not be confused with Mugan Soviet republic, a Bolshevik creation, that existed in March-June 1919 in opposition to Musavatist Azerbaijani Government in Baku (see Azerbaijan Democratic Republic).
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