Aliheydar Garayev Aliheydar Garayev Agakerim oglu ( ) ( June 20 , 1896 - April 24 , 1938 ) also spelled as Aliheydar Qarayev , was a Menshevik - turned - Bolshevik revolutionary , People ' s Commissar of Justice of Azerbaijan SSR , People ' s Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs of Azerbaijan during Soviet period . Early life . Garayev was born in Shamakhi , Azerbaijan . Having completed " Shamakhi Realny School " , he taught at a Russian school in Baku . He then entered the Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute and was involved in student revolutionary activities . In 1917 , he chaired the Shamakhi Workers and Soldiers Council . During 1918 - 1920 , Garayev was leader of faction Hummet in Azerbaijan representing social - democrats . After occupation of Azerbaijan by the Red Army on April 27 , 1920 he was member of the Interim Azerbaijan Revolutionary Committee , Baku Revolutionary Committee , People ' s Labor Commissar , People ' s Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs of Azerbaijan and briefly headed the Baku City Executive Committee . Overthrowing ADR government . Garayev was the Bolshevik leader who facilitated arrival of the Red Army in Azerbaijan and overthrow of the government of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic . He was one of the people along with Bolshevik activist Chingiz Ildyrym , who passed on the ultimatum to the Azerbaijani Parliament to surrender and transfer all authority to Bolshevik forces . While lobbying for arrival of Bolshevik troops in Baku , Garayev convinced the ADR government that with establishment of Soviet regime in Azerbaijan , the Red Army will crash the Armenian rebels in Karabakh region of Azerbaijan . Bolshevik power in Azerbaijan SSR have managed to keep the Nagorno Karabakh and Nakchivan in the territoriy of Azerbaijan . Only Zangezur was transferred to Armenian SSR . According to a known rumour , after establishment of the Soviet republic in Azerbaijan , Garayev lobbied for arrest and execution of one of founders of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and Chairman of Azerbaijani National Council , Mammed Amin Rasulzade but was cut off in the meeting with Stalin who declared that Rasulzade had saved his life twice and that he would go free . In response to Garayev ' s earlier chant in front of the members of Azerbaijani parliament that he would get everyone executed , Rasulzade had responded that the very Bolshevik government which Garayev defended would execute him in the future . Activities in Soviet Azerbaijan . From 1921 through 1931 , Garayev held various administrative positions in the Soviet government . He was editor is a number of magazines and journals such as " Khalq Qazeti " , " Kommunist " ( January – May 1922 ) and others . He personally authored many Bolshevik propaganda articles in Azerbaijan such as " Who needs mourning ? " ( ) targeting abolishment of religious practices in the republic . While People ' s Commissar of Justice , he convicted and imprisoned some of the Azerbaijani intellectuals . Garayev is infamous for his political intrigues . He would determine the individuals who had sympathies for Azerbaijani nationalism working in press and had them arrested . Nariman Narimanov have criticized Garayev ' s career with claiming that the source of his mistakes are his " young and hot - blooded personality . " A Woman ' s Club in Baku was named after Aliheydar Garayev in 1920 ' s which was involved in movement for education and emancipation of women . After independence of Azerbaijan , the street named in honor of Aliheydar Garayev was changed to Ahmad Javad street . Death . On recommendations from Lavrentiy Beria to Stalin , Aliheydar Garayev was arrested and charged with espionage and preparations for counter - revolutionary activities in the years preceding the Great Patriotic War . He was executed by firing squad on April 24 , 1938 on Stalin ' s orders . Awards . Garayev had been awarded with Order of the Red Banner of Labour for his contributions to Bolshevik movement during his terms in office .