The history of the security bodies of Azerbaijan should be divided into three periods: the period of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, Soviet period and the period of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan.

1918-1920 is one of the most glorious, yet complicated and contradictious periods of the history of Azerbaijan. As, during the Soviet period the mentioned stage of Azerbaijani history has not been investigated at all, the history of special services remained in shadow as well.

The Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan could achieve substantial success in the establishment of statehood during 23 months of its existence. General Samad bey Mehmandarov, general Aliagha Shikhlinski and general Mammad bey Sulkevich played an exceptional role in the establishment of National Army. Under the leadership of these commanders the National Army was formed by January, 1920. In initial periods, the Army had undertaken and successfully fulfilled the mission of ensuring national security of Azerbaijan (as the intelligence and counter-intelligence sector of the Headquarters of the Military Ministry) as well. The independent Republic of Azerbaijan is considered as an heir of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, therefore the Ministry of National Security is perceived as the heir of the first special service, taking its roots from this sector.

The favorable geographical and strategic position, domestic and external situation caused the need to establish separate intelligence and counter-intelligence services. The threat of the external military intervention required empowerment of these structures with primary responsibilities, with great focus on military aspects.  By order No.157 of March 28, 1919, signed by military minister Samad bey Mehmandarov, and chief of general staff Mammad bey Sulkevich, intelligence and counter-intelligence sector had been established within the Headquarters of the Military Ministry. Following the order, substantial amount of work had been done for the staffing and defining major directions of its activity. Nevertheless, within the military structure, this sector was able to deal only with military aspects of the security. In the letter, addressed to the chairman of the Council of the Ministers on April 2, 1919, Samad bey Mehmandarov emphasized: “The main responsibility of the military counter-intelligence is to struggle with the military espionage. As the struggle with bolshevism is the issue of whole state, single military department would not be able to cope with it…”. Thus, after the transfer of all structures under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijani government on April 13, 1919, the issue of centralizing intelligence and counter-intelligence could be considered. The attack of Denikin’s forces to Daghestan and Georgia in April, 1919 posed a threat to the independence of Azerbaijan as well. Moreover, destructive activities of the bolshevik and dashnak groups against Azerbaijan statehood internally were gaining more intensive character. Under such conditions a special body - State Defense Committee was granted extraordinary power by decree of the Parliament of June 9 in order to protect the country. As the internal situation along with situation on the borders worsened, State Defense Committee declared state of emergency on June 11, 1919. At the same time, the first separate special service of Azerbaijani statehood – “Organization for Struggle against Counterrevolution” was founded. This organization started to operate against internal and external forces posing threat to the independence, statehood and territorial integrity of newly established state. Seven district divisions of the organization were created in Baku within a short period of time. Struggling with the Denikin’s forces in initial periods, Organization directed its further activity against the bolshevik threat and the Armenians that committed diversions in the city.

But Organization for Struggle against Counterrevolution was dismissed on March 6, 1920, as a result of destructive activity of Bolsheviks, which caused deterioration of situation in the country and led to internal contradictions among different political groups and the parties. The attempts to improve the national intelligence and counter-intelligence system in Azerbaijan remained uncompleted due to the intervention on April 28, 1920.  Mamedbaghyr Shekhzamanly and Naghy Sheyzamanly, the leaders of the Organization for Struggle with Counterrevolution made a great contribution to the formation of the first special services of Azerbaijan in the 20th century.

During 1920-1940s, thousands of Azerbaijanis underwent to the physical and moral terror, committed by the Extraordinary Commission of Azerbaijan, later the Azerbaijan State Political Department and the Commissariat for Internal Affairs, which served the interests of the empire and acted as the administrative tool, which strengthened Bolshevik regime. Over 40,000 Azerbaijanis were annihilated by the Extraordinary Commission of Azerbaijan from the May 1920 till early 1921 and 27 thousand 854 people were sentenced to the execution by shooting by the Commissariat for Internal Affairs in 1934-1938. On the whole, over 400,000 people were executed as a result of repressions in 1920-1950s, and more than 500,000 of our compatriots were sent in exile from the country. Eyyub Khanbudagov, Novruz Rzayev and others, who spoke against the russification policy and openly expressed their protests, were terminated at that very period. Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh, Alimardan bey Topchubashov, Mirza Bala Mammadzadeh, Rustam bey Shafibayov, Abdulvahab Yurdsever, Naghi Sheykhzamanli, Mammad Safikurdski and other prominent sons of Azerbaijan, who struggled for the independence were forced to live in emigration.

From the end of 1950s, great amount of work was done for the nationalization of the security bodies and restoration of historical justice, as well as for the legal and moral rehabilitation of repressed people. This process is directly connected with the name of Heydar Aliyev, the prominent statesman, who devoted most part of his life to the activity in security bodies. During the years of his leadership in the counter-intelligence department of the State Security Committee, especially after 1964 when he was appointed as one of the committee leaders, the process of attraction of the national specialists, their preparation and appointment to the leading positions in the committee had begun. During Heydar Aliyev's career as one of the leaders of the Republic and the Soviet Union he always paid a great attention to the activity of the special services of Azerbaijan.

After the Republic of Azerbaijan restored its independence in October, 1991, the Ministry of National Security of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established on the material-technical and personnel basis of the State Security Committee on November 1, 1991. Within a short period of time, representatives of other nationalities have left the Ministry and Azerbaijan, the process of staffing Ministry only by the national specialists had begun. Not only the name and the personnel of the security body had changed, but primary change the Ministry faced was its mission and duties.

While the potential and leverages of the State Security Committee were focused on ensuring interests of the Soviet state, the tasks of the Ministry of National Security consist of preventing intelligence and destructive-subversive activity of foreign special services and organizations, criminal groups and individuals targeting the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, its constitutional order, economic, defense, scientific and technical potential, and other national interests. Following the restoration of the state independence, significant achievements were made for revealing and neutralizing intelligence and destructive-subversive activities of foreign special services in our country. Besides, the ministry fulfils important tasks such as protection of state secret, struggle against corruption, terrorism, circulation of narcotic psychotropic and radioactive substances, illegal trafficking of fire-arms and other military equipments, as well as against more dangerous kinds of transnational organized crime. In this respect, cooperating on bilateral and multilateral basis with tens of foreign special services, Ministry of National Security exchanges information on international terrorism, transnational organized crime and other spheres. The Ministry of National Security plays particular role in Azerbaijan’s involvement in the international ant-terror coalition.  The detainment and extradition to the foreign countries of the internationally searched terrorists, the prohibition of the activity of organizations functioning under the humanitarian cover, but assisting to the terrorist structures, the freeze of different bank accounts related to the terrorists and other prominent results were achieved due to the professionalism and active work of the employees of the Ministry of National Security.

The Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on National Security, Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence, Statute of the Ministry of National Security and other legal acts of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as legal acts of the executive bodies, and international agreements to which Azerbaijan is a party form the legal foundation of the activity of the Ministry of National Security. This activity is carried out in accordance with the principles of humanism, responsibility before the state and society, neutrality, as well as with supervision of the human rights and freedoms.