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Azerbaijani Human Rights Commissioner issues statement on 22nd anniversary of January 20 tragedy

19 January 2012 14:20 (UTC +04:00)

The statement says that on the night of January 19-20, 1990, under the instructions of the Soviet leaders, special military units and armored vehicles burst into Baku and Sumgayit, a number of Azerbaijani regions, committed savagery.

â€œIt was violation of the international law, as well as constitutions of former USSR and Azerbaijan SSR. Our people, who rose to defend their lands against the Armeniansâ€™ endless territorial claims, were killed mercilessly. Hundreds of unarmed people, including the old, women and children were killed, wounded, went missing, administrative buildings, houses and transport vehicles were damaged. The war criminals burnt their bodies to hide the exact number of the victims. The troops, which burst into Baku as a result of the military operations carried out by the USSR Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry, State Security Committee, killed over 132 civilians, wounded 612 people. Banned bullets were used, the ambulances and doctors were fired at, several medical servants were wounded, killed. 22 years have passed since the 20 January tragedy, which was a part of Soviet empireâ€™s genocide policy against Azerbaijan accompanied by massive and severe violation of human rights and freedoms. This event remains in the memory of our people as the most horrible violence, inhuman behavior and tortures of the 20th centuryâ€.

â€œWith this crime the Soviet empire supported Armenian political forces, it resulted in the long-lasting Armenian aggression, ethnic cleansing, genocides against Azerbaijan, 20 percent of our territories have been occupied, the people have been deported from Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and the seven surrounding regions, one million Azerbaijanis have been displaced.â€

The statement reads that as a result of inhuman actions against the peaceful people on January 20, 1990, the UN Human Rights Declaration, as well as other international documents on human rights were violated. The 20 January tragedy is a horrible crime among the terrorist attacks causing massive human losses.

Elmira Suleymanova underlines that January 20 tragedy has not received international legal assessment. â€œWe believe that the world community, international organizations will support the right demands of Azerbaijan, this inhuman, antidemocratic, terrible crime accompanied by the violation of the human rights will soon receive its international legal assessment, the perpetrators will be punished.â€

The statement has been sent to UN Secretary General, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, OSCE, the Council of Europe, Institute of International and European Ombudsmen and other organizations, Asian Ombudsman Association, International Peace Bureau, Universal Peace Federation, human rights commissioners of various countries, Azerbaijani embassies abroad, foreign embassies in Azerbaijan and Diaspora organizations.