Murat Niyazov

ABOUT MURAT NIYAZOV

Turkmen politician known for being the son of the President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov. His father was the First Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Turkmen starting in 1985, and served as president from 1991 to his death in 2006.

He studied at St. Petersburg State University in Russia.

He was considered a likely successor to his father's presidency but did not get the position.

He was born in St. Petersburg in the former Soviet Union. His mother is Muza Sokolova. He is of Russian, Jewish, and Turkmen descent.

His father was a close ally of President Vladimir Putin .