Azernews.Az

The House of Representatives of Georgia has become the second US state’s legislature, after New Jersey, to pass a bill condemning the Khojaly massacre committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis during the Karabakh war, Azerbaijan’s APA news agency reported.

The resolution to honor the memory of the victims of Khojaly Massacre on its 20th anniversary was passed after the Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora’s strong campaign.

"Notably, the text of the resolution for the first time in the US legislative history cites the name of Armenia’s President, Serzh Sargsyan, in connection with the massacre," the Diaspora said in a statement.

"On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Armenian forces and Russia’s 336th motorized infantry division attacked the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly and brutally massacred its fleeing residents; 613 civilians were tortured in freezing temperatures, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elders, while hundreds more went missing; 1,000 people received permanent health damage, 1,275 people were taken hostage, eight families were fully destroyed, and over 150 children lost one or both of their parents," says the resolution.

According to the document, Armenia continues to formally deny any responsibility for the tragedy while President Sargsyan described the massacre as an act of revenge to "break stereotypes".

The resolution says that the Khojaly Massacre has not received adequate international recognition and it is only appropriate that the victims be properly recognized and remembered.

"Now, therefore be it resolved by the House of Representatives that the members of this body join in honoring the lives and memories of the victims of the 1992 Khojaly Massacre as this year marks its 20th anniversary and express their deepest and most sincere regret at their passing," the resolution said.

This story is published by AzerNEWS Weekly under a project funded by the Foundation for State Assistance to the Development of the Media under the President of the Azerbaijan Republic.