Photo exhibition underway in Israel reflects Khojaly massacre
By Sara Rajabova
A mobile documentary photo exhibition that reflects the massacre committed against Azerbaijanis by Armenians during the 1990s war in the town of Khojaly is underway in Israel.
The photo exhibition "Justice for Khojaly" was organized by the Israel-Azerbaijan international association, AZIZ, with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and STMEGI international mountain Jews charity foundation, according to AZIZ.
Israel's Or Akiva was the next city in which the documentary photographs were demonstrated about the Khojaly massacre.
The photo exhibition was launched in February this year at the Diaspora Museum of the Tel Aviv University and has been held in numerous cities of Israel, continuing to familiarize the Israelis with the tragedy of the Azerbaijani people, which is one of the most violent crimes against humanity.
Late into the night of February 25, 1992, the town of Khojaly, situated within the administrative borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intensive fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by Armenian armed forces. The Armenian forces, supported by the ex-Soviet 366th regiment, completed the surrounding of the town already isolated due to ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani population of the neighboring regions. The joint forces occupied the town, which was ruined by heavy artillery shelling.
Thousands of fleeing civilians were ambushed by the Armenian forces. Punitive teams of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh defense army reached the unprotected civilians to slaughter them, mutilating some of the bodies. 613 civilians, including 106 women, 70 elderly and 83 children, were killed in the massacre. A total of 1,000 civilians were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, and 25 children lost both parents, while 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.
The exhibition in Or Akiva city was opened by the Director of the Center for Preservation of the Culture and Traditions of Mountain Jews, member of the Board of Directors of AZIZ Shaul Siman-Tov, who also chairs the organizational committee of the exhibition.
Director of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center under AZIZ Yegana Salman informed the Or Akiva residents about the terrible events that took place in Khojaly.
Speaking at the event, Or Akiva Mayor Simcha Esipov said he was astonished by what he saw in the pictures, expressing his deep regret over the violence that was committed against the Azerbaijani people, and asked for the event to be held in two more halls of the city.
The representative of the STMEGI foundation in Israel Robert Abramov said at the event that such activities should be undertaken for more people to learn the truth about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in general and the Khojaly tragedy in particular.
Earlier, "Justice for Khojaly" photo exhibition was held in the Tirat Carmel city of Israel.
The scope of coverage of the realities pertaining to the Khojaly tragedy expands year-on-year and the number of countries recognizing those crimes as genocide is increasing.
Prior to this, in February, the exhibition was held in the Beth Hatefutsoth diaspora museum in Tel Aviv.
Resolutions on the Khojaly tragedy have been passed in the parliaments of Turkey, Pakistan, Mexico, and Colombia, as well as in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
This year, such resolutions have been adopted in the parliaments of the Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jordan.
Besides, the U.S. states of Connecticut, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Texas, Maine, New Jersey, Georgia, New Mexico, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Pennsylvania recognized the Khojaly massacre.