Jan. 20 death toll ‘above official figures’
The number of people killed by the Soviet army in
Baku on Jan. 20, 1990 exceeds official estimates, which
necessitates specifying facts about the tragic developments, deputy
chairman of the ruling Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party (YAP) Ali
Ahmadov told a commemoration ceremony on Tuesday.
In the backdrop of Armenia’s territorial claims and aggression, the USSR leadership, which was trying to maintain the Communist regime in Azerbaijan and strangle the unfolding national freedom movement, pulled troops into Baku early on January 20, 1990, without announcing a state of emergency. 132 people were killed, including women, children and the elderly, and 612 others were injured. 117 of those killed were Azerbaijanis and the rest were people of other nationalities, according to official sources.
Ahmadov noted that the statistics on the Jan. 20 death toll was announced shortly after the gruesome developments, saying a part of the severely injured people passed away afterwards. "But they are not included in the list of those who lost their lives in the aftermath of the Jan. 20 tragedy. We have restricted the scale of this tragedy from the viewpoint of statistics on the slain people. We have neither fully grasped the magnitude of this tragedy nor managed to convey it to the international community."
The YAP deputy chairman said marking the Jan. 20 anniversary should not be confined to commemorating its victims, and Azerbaijan should make an effort to inform the world community of the truth about this tragic page in Azerbaijan’s history. According to him, the paramount task is to achieve international recognition of the massacre as a crime against humanity.
Ahmadov also hailed the appeal to the Milli Majlis (parliament) made Monday by the leader of the Caucasus Muslims, saying those responsible for the carnage should be brought before the international court at the Hague.
Sheikhulislam Haji Allahshukur Pashazada’s appeal said the massacre is a heinous crime against the Azerbaijani people, calling for taking action to prosecute the culprits, led by then USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
Ahmadov said that a legal assessment should be given to the 1990 developments, along with a political assessment. "YAP is ready to put forth its due stance on the issue."*
In the backdrop of Armenia’s territorial claims and aggression, the USSR leadership, which was trying to maintain the Communist regime in Azerbaijan and strangle the unfolding national freedom movement, pulled troops into Baku early on January 20, 1990, without announcing a state of emergency. 132 people were killed, including women, children and the elderly, and 612 others were injured. 117 of those killed were Azerbaijanis and the rest were people of other nationalities, according to official sources.
Ahmadov noted that the statistics on the Jan. 20 death toll was announced shortly after the gruesome developments, saying a part of the severely injured people passed away afterwards. "But they are not included in the list of those who lost their lives in the aftermath of the Jan. 20 tragedy. We have restricted the scale of this tragedy from the viewpoint of statistics on the slain people. We have neither fully grasped the magnitude of this tragedy nor managed to convey it to the international community."
The YAP deputy chairman said marking the Jan. 20 anniversary should not be confined to commemorating its victims, and Azerbaijan should make an effort to inform the world community of the truth about this tragic page in Azerbaijan’s history. According to him, the paramount task is to achieve international recognition of the massacre as a crime against humanity.
Ahmadov also hailed the appeal to the Milli Majlis (parliament) made Monday by the leader of the Caucasus Muslims, saying those responsible for the carnage should be brought before the international court at the Hague.
Sheikhulislam Haji Allahshukur Pashazada’s appeal said the massacre is a heinous crime against the Azerbaijani people, calling for taking action to prosecute the culprits, led by then USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
Ahmadov said that a legal assessment should be given to the 1990 developments, along with a political assessment. "YAP is ready to put forth its due stance on the issue."*
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