Asyr Atayew Turkmen statesman Date of Birth: 01.01.1953 Country: Turkmenistan

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career in Law Enforcement
3. Dismissal and Criticism

Early Life and Education

Anwar Ataevwas born in 1953 in the village of Bagir in the Ashgabat region of the Turkmen SSR. In 1977, he graduated from the Turkmen State University, receiving a law degree.

Career in Law Enforcement

Early Career:Ataev began his career as an inspector in the Department for Combating the Theft of Socialist Property of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan. He subsequently held various positions in the department, including senior inspector for special assignments, senior inspector for analysis, prevention and information, and senior inspector for industry-specific areas.

Leadership Roles:Ataev later served as head of the department, deputy head of the department, and senior inspector of the main department of the Department for Combating the Theft of Socialist Property. He also held positions as deputy head of the criminal investigation department, head of the transport police department, and head of the Ashgabat city police department.

Minister of Internal Affairs:From January to February 2003, Ataev served as deputy minister of internal affairs and head of the main department for the prevention and investigation of crimes. On February 21, 2003, he was appointed minister of internal affairs of Turkmenistan, a position he held until August 12, 2004, when he was relieved of his duties due to health reasons.

Dismissal and Criticism

President's Assessment:Ataev's dismissal was accompanied by a stern assessment from President Saparmurat Niyazov. While acknowledging Ataev's efforts in combating crime, Niyazov criticized him for excessive caution, particularly during his time as head of the city police department when international terrorists were able to establish a foothold in Ashgabat.

Demand for Competence and Professionalism:The president emphasized the importance of competence, professionalism, independence, and responsibility among law enforcement leaders, stating that the time for overly cautious approaches had passed.