Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijani Ombudswoman has issued a statement on the 25th anniversary of the January events of 1990 which went down in the history of Azerbaijan as the Black January.

Elmira Suleymanova called the genocide a day of honor and proud of the Azerbaijani people who fought for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity 25 years ago, the Ombudsman's Office said.

On January 20, 26,000 strong Soviet troops entered the Azerbaijani capital Baku from several directions, invading the city in a desperate, brutal and yet futile attempt to strangle the growing independence movement and to prevent the fall of the Soviet Communist regime in Azerbaijan and punish ordinary people who had rallied on the streets to voice their legitimate protest against the violation of their homeland's territorial integrity.

“An Action Plan of the 25th anniversary of 20 January tragedy has already been approved. The Action Plan envisages holding events, conferences, meetings, delivering lectures, covering these events in media and informing the world community about the tragedy. Under the decree of Azerbaijani president, the honorary title of “Martyrs of 20 January” was conferred on victims of the tragedy for the outstanding example of heroism. Under the order “On improving state care for the persons who became disabled as a result of the events of 20 January in 1990”, various measures are carried out. These persons are paid benefits and the families are granted presidential allowances,” according to the statement.

Suleymanova also touched upon the policy of ethnic cleansing carried out by the Armenians against the Azerbaijanis in Nagorno-Karabakh, stating that the world community is being informed about 20 January tragedy.

“There is a sufficient legal basis to declare the events of 20 January as a crime against humanity - one of the most serious forms of international crimes in accordance with the international law. There are sufficient grounds to bring the culprits who committed these atrocities, those who gave order in this regard and leaders of former Soviet Union to justice,” she added.

The statement has been sent to UN Secretary General, UN Security Council, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, European Commission, OSCE, the Council of Europe, Institute of International and European Ombudsmen, Asian Ombudsman Association, International Peace Bureau, Universal Peace Federation, human rights commissioners of various countries, Azerbaijani embassies in foreign countries, embassies of foreign countries in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations.

On that tragic night, tanks and armored vehicles crushed everything they met on the streets of Baku, and soldiers opened fire ruthlessly. Not only the people on the streets, but also those on the buses and in their homes were shot dead. The Soviet soldiers also fired at ambulances and the medical staff who rushed to help the wounded.

Some 133 people were killed, 611 were wounded, 841 were illegally arrested, and five went missing as a result of the intrusion of troops into Baku and other regions of the country.

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Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SaraRajabova

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