Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

In a statement on the 22^nd anniversary of Khojaly genocide, Azerbaijan's Human Rights Commission (Ombudsman) has called international community to condemn Khojaly tragedy as crime against humanity.

Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova referred to the details of the tragedy adding that there has been no similar incident in the history of mankind in terms of brutality.

Back in February1992, Armenian armed forces supported by the 366^th infantry regiment of the Soviet army attacked the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly leaving hundreds of people dead.

The statement went on adding that: "The houses and social infrastructures of the city were completely destroyed and burned. The thugs mercilessly massacred the peaceful civilians. The human rights, the most important part of which the right to life were violated roughly and massively."

During the Khojaly genocide, 613 people were killed including women and children and 487 others seriously wounded.

Moreover, 1,275 people were taken hostage, the fate of 150 of them remains unknown till now. During the massacre, eight families were killed with 25 children lost both parents and 130 children lost one of their parents. The captives and hostages were subjected to cruel torture.

Suleymanova said the mass murder was committed with inconceivable cruelty and inhuman methods of punishment by the Armenian aggressors, who still remain unpunished. It is a real atrocity.

Under international law, genocide is an act directed against peace and humanity. Genocide is the most serious international crime.

The statement said under international and domestic laws, the Khojaly tragedy amounts to genocide.

"This act of vandalism should get a decent assessment as a brutal crime committed against humanity. According to the Convention on the suppression and punishment of the crime of Genocide, during Azerbaijan's occupation, Armenians committed genocide," the statement added.

It further said occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent seven regions are an integral part of Azerbaijan and this fact has been stated in the documents and decisions adopted by international organizations such as the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, PACE and the European Parliament. However, the problem is still not resolved because of Armenia's unconstructive position.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. After a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.

"The efforts made by international organizations to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must not have the character of double standards. They must comply with the norms and principles of international laws. Armenia as an aggressor which should abandon its territorial claims against Azerbaijan and fulfill the requirements of the international documents adopted in connection with the conflict. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should be restored, and Azerbaijani IDPs should return to their native lands," the statement said.

The statement was 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.