Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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The Ombudsman of the Republic of Azerbaijan has issued a statement commemorating the 36th anniversary of the 20 January 1990 tragedy.

According to Azernews, the statement highlighted that during the night of January 19–20, 1990, the armed forces of the former USSR carried out a military intervention against the civilian population of Azerbaijan. This operation aimed to suppress the national will and independence aspirations of the Azerbaijani people through violent means.

The Ombudsman emphasized that this bloody act constituted a gross violation of human rights, contravening the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other international legal instruments. The 20 January tragedy, resulting in mass casualties, ranks among the most horrific crimes of the 20th century.

During the attack, 150 civilians were killed and 744 wounded in Baku and other regions. In addition to violating international law, the actions breached provisions of the former USSR and Azerbaijan SSR constitutions, targeting the Azerbaijani people who had risen to defend their land and national dignity.

The use of disproportionate military force against unarmed civilians without warning or imminent threat constitutes a violation of international human rights law, including absolute rights that must be respected even in states of emergency. In this regard, the 20 January events confirm the serious breach of international legal norms.

The Ombudsman also recalled that Heydar Aliyev, the national leader of Azerbaijan, delivered the most important political statement at the time. On January 21, 1990, despite personal risks, he condemned the crime against civilians during a press briefing at Azerbaijan’s permanent mission in Moscow, directly attributing responsibility to the leadership of the former USSR. This represented the first political and legal evaluation of the tragedy and remains historically significant.

The statement further noted that the failure of the international community and relevant organizations to adequately respond at the time violated principles of international justice and created conditions of impunity. The United Nations human rights mechanisms did not respond promptly or decisively, which later contributed to further serious human rights violations in the region.

As Ombudsman, it was stressed that the 20 January tragedy must be thoroughly and objectively investigated under international law, recognized as a crime against humanity, and that all responsible parties—including those involved in the decision-making process—must be held legally accountable.

The Ombudsman called on international organizations, especially relevant UN mechanisms, to take a principled stance, ensure justice for those responsible, and provide an international legal assessment of the massacre.

The memory of the martyrs of 20 January will forever live in the hearts of the Azerbaijani people.