But before that there was a forced separation. The couple moved to different cities: the girl entered a medical school in Karakol (until 1992 – Przhevalsk, the administrative center of the Issyk-Kul region – Fergana’s note), and the guy gnawed at the granite of science at the capital’s Institute of Physical Education, having managed to receive a coaching diploma serve in the ranks of the Soviet army. By the way, the spouses are united by the fact that they have a second education. Aigul also graduated from the pedagogical faculty of the Kyrgyz State University named after Ishenaly Arabaev, and Sadyr graduated from the law faculty of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University named after Boris Yeltsin.

Japarov’s political career it was difficult. While in opposition, he repeatedly clashed with security forces, becoming involved in criminal cases, including charges of raiding and violent seizure of power. At the beginning of the 1910s, the future president and his family were forced to move abroad, and after returning in 2017, he ended up in a special services detention center.

For some time, Aigul Zhaparova lived with her children abroad – either in Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism) or in Poland, while her husband fought for power in his homeland, or rather, opposed the current government. Returning to Kyrgyzstan, the woman actively participated in all ralliesdemonstrations and other actions in support of the spouse-political prisoner.

Separately, we note that since Zhaparov was detained along with his son Rustam upon entering his homeland, his wife first of all stood up for the defense of the child, who was not involved in politics at all. She even addressed the wife of the then President of the Republic Almazbek Atambayev Raisa, because, according to Zhaparova, “not everyone is given the opportunity to be the first lady of the country, and in this capacity one must be more merciful and kinder.” But her “predecessor” replied that she did not get involved in such issues, avoiding solving the problem. As a result, Rustam spent six months in captivity.

Japarova’s political ambitions were not limited to supporting her husband. In 2020 she claimed for a seat in the parliament of the republic from the Mekenchil party – she was 24th on the organization’s lists, however, under passport data with the name Gulnur. Judging by the reports, she carried out a vigorous election campaign, but still did not succeed in becoming a deputy. The party did not have enough votes to be represented in the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament).

But the current first lady of Kyrgyzstan has succeeded in the field of charity. She successfully runs the public foundation “Ene-balaga tirek” (“Support for Mother and Child”). True, in September of this year there was a small incident. Journalists found out that the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek allocated as much as $109 million to this organization. However, the tax service hastened to explain the situation: according to them, the accountant did not notice that the figures in the report should be indicated in “thousands”. soms” and put in real values, which actually need to be divided by a thousand. As a result, it turned out that the PRC contributed only $109 thousand to Japarova’s fund. Such bounties from the Middle Kingdom did not look gigantic, which reassured the public.

At the beginning of this year there was another episode related to the assets of the first lady. The president, who is obliged to report not only his own income, but also the earnings of family members, did not declare the profits of his wife’s company, Ak Umut. Fact checkers dug upthat this enterprise, the official co-owner of which is Aigul Japarova, has been regularly paying taxes since 2021. Although it’s not really clear what the company does – it doesn’t even have accounts on social networks. The only thing that the investigators managed to find out is that, according to cadastral extracts, Ak Umut is the owner of the Bishkek business center Asman, in which, by the way, Japarova’s foundation rents an office, and during the presidential elections, her headquarters was located here husband But these are trifles: after all, the head of state is a busy person, he missed this detail – it doesn’t happen to anyone.

Another discrepancy in the number of children of the Zhaparov couple. Somewhere it is indicated four, in other sources – five. But this “casket” opens easier. The fact is that the couple, in addition to their four children, took in a boy named Rinat – the son of the president’s brother Erkin, who died with his wife in an accident. Alas, later trouble again came to the couple’s house: in 2020, the Japarovs’ eldest son Dastan, while driving a motorcycle, had an accident and died a few days after the incident. It is known that another son, Rustam, got married several years ago; in 2021, Rinat followed his example. Their brother Nurdoolot and sister Zhanayim were educated in Turkey and the Bishkek American University of Central Asia. What they are doing now is unknown.

About the wife of the permanent head of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon Even less is known. According to official data, Azizmo Asadullayeva (sometimes referred to in the press as Azizmo Rakhmonova) was born in the Tajik SSR around the late 50s of the last century. She does not appear in public and very rarely accompanies her husband, who has the title of “leader of the nation,” on foreign trips. In 2016, a local theologian proposed establishing a similar title for Asadullayeva. According to him, then she performed namaz (prayer) inside the holy Kaaba (a shrine in Mecca), becoming the first such Muslim woman in the history of Central Asia. In this connection, the theologian spoke with an initiative to recognize the First Lady as a “leader of Islamic women.” But the idea was rejected.

Let us add that three years earlier, one of the businessmen at a meeting with the president proposed to appoint Asadullaev as the head of the Association of Entrepreneurs of the Republic. But Rahmon was categorically against it, saying that a wife’s destiny is to take care of her children and husband.

The leader of Tajikistan, by the way, is the most prolific president among the countries of the former Union. She and Azizmo have nine children: seven daughters and two sons. Most of the daughters work in the government sector or have married successful politicians, diplomats, businessmen, and athletes. Several years ago, Ozoda rapidly climbed the career ladder, reaching the leadership of the presidential administration. However, according to most political scientists, most likely, Rahmon will be replaced in his post by his son Rustam Emomali, who at the age of 29 became the mayor of Dushanbe. He is also the speaker of the upper house of the republic’s parliament.

The champion in minimizing data about the first lady is modern Turkmenistan. From the scant information available on the Internet, we can only find out that Serdar Berdimuhamedov married, his wife’s name is presumably the same as his mother’s – Ogulgerek. The first lady gave birth to three children for the president: two girls and a son. And the last one is already started his own familychoosing as his life partner the daughter of a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

It is curious that in December 2022, within the framework of a trilateral summit with Azerbaijan and Turkey, the current head of state did not introduce his wife in a cultural program with the participation of the first ladies of Turkmenistan represented by his mother, to whom he had previously awarded the title of Honored Carpet Weaver of the country. However, Serdar’s father, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, while president, generally forbade the press to write anything about his wife or post her photo. The taboo was lifted in 2021 when the then-First Lady stepped out as part of the couple’s visit Erdogan to Ashgabat. She was in national costume and behaved extremely modestly.

She became the president of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation, headed the foundation Heydar Aliyev, became a goodwill ambassador for UNESCO, the UN, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Local media write that she successfully coped with these responsibilities. The interest of international sports organizations in Azerbaijan, the holding of the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Baku in 2005 and the implementation of other significant projects in the republic are associated with its influence.

Her activity, first in the public and then in the political life of Azerbaijan, grew along with the strengthening of her husband’s position Ilkhom Aliyeva. Since 2003, when he first became president, she has become a deputy three times, and in 2017, her husband appointed her as his vice president. Experts called this the beginning of neo-monarchy.

Abroad, she is no less famous than her husband. She positions herself primarily not as the wife of the president, but as a public and political figure of Azerbaijan.

For her appearance and impeccable style, she is called the Queen of the Caucasus and one of the most beautiful first ladies in the world.

She is an art critic by training. She graduated from Goldsmiths College, University of London and received a Master of Arts degree. She studied art history at Sotheby’s London Cultural Institute, then studied at the art department of Westminster College. She worked at the Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. She writes children’s books, articles and essays about the music and culture of Armenia, holds exhibitions and concerts. She is often invited abroad to cultural events. He is an extraordinary advocate for children’s rights for UNICEF.

Galina Lukashenko avoids publicity; she does not appear with the president. It is known that in Mogilev she worked as a teacher in a kindergarten, then in the healthcare sector. Their sons, Victor and Dmitry, are engaged in social and political activities. […]

She is considered one of the most influential women in Ukraine.