President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the Alley of Martyrs to honor the cherished memory of the 20 January martyrs, APA reports.
The head of state laid a wreath at the "Eternal Flame" monument.
The National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was performed.
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35 years have passed since the bloody tragedy of January 20. The events of January 20, which entered the modern history of Azerbaijan as one of the most tragic days and at the same time a heroic page in the annals of our people, became a symbol of the struggle for national independence and freedom, unwavering will. Our people, subjected to punitive measures by the former Soviet army, did not lose their desire for freedom, on the contrary, their voice, calling for truth and justice, sounded even louder. On that terrible night exactly 35 years ago, the patriotic sons of Azerbaijan, for whom freedom, honor and dignity of their native land, people were above all, sacrificed their lives, rising to the top of martyrdom. Many years have passed since the bloody events committed by Soviet troops in Azerbaijan, but our people do not forget the bitterness of those terrible days, expressing deep contempt for the then leaders of the Soviet empire, who committed reprisals against their own citizens, and their henchmen in Azerbaijan.
The introduction of large military units of the Soviet army to suppress the broad masses of people who spoke out against the biased, pro-Armenian, anti-Azerbaijani policy of the leadership of the former USSR, their open support for aggressive Armenia, which encroached on our ancestral lands, and the treacherous position of the then leadership of the republic, led to an unprecedented tragedy in Azerbaijan, especially in Baku, resulted in great losses, the death of innocent people. The then incompetent leaders of Azerbaijan, who seemed not to see this, again lacked the courage to unite with the people.
The national leader Heydar Aliyev, who lived in Moscow at the time, risked his own life and came to the permanent mission of Azerbaijan the day after the tragedy and made a harsh statement condemning the perpetrators of Bloody January and brought to the attention of the world the terrible events committed against our people. Thus, the great leader once again proved his courage, bravery, and loyalty to his native people.
In fact, this crime, committed at the instigation of the Armenians, could not break the will of the Azerbaijani people or quench their thirst for freedom. Our people achieved what they wanted at the cost of their own blood - they gained freedom and independence, so as never to lose this great treasure again.
After the return of the national leader of our people Heydar Aliyev to the leadership of Azerbaijan in 1994, the events of January 20 were given a political and legal assessment, the names of the perpetrators of the crime were named. January 20 was declared the Day of National Sorrow.
Today, the people of Azerbaijan honor the memory of the victims of the January 20 tragedy who gave their lives for the freedom of Azerbaijan with deep respect, and the state surrounds their family members and loved ones with constant care. The focus of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is always on social protection and pension provision for disabled people who lost their health during the events of January 20. Consistent measures are also being taken to ensure social protection of the family members of martyrs, a solid legislative framework has been created in the field of their pension provision, improvement of housing conditions, and raising the standard of living. We can confidently say that the soul of the great leader Heydar Aliyev, the souls of all the martyrs who gave their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of our country, have found peace. Because in 2020, the Azerbaijani army put an end to the 30-year wait of our people, liberated our lands from Armenian occupation. As a result of successful anti-terrorist measures carried out in September 2023, the sovereignty of Azerbaijan was fully restored. The tricolor flag of Azerbaijan is now flying in all our territories. Large-scale creative work is continuing at a rapid pace in the lands liberated from occupation, and the Great Return program is being successfully implemented. Thanks to this, more than 30 thousand people currently live in the territories liberated from occupation.
The complete restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan is also proof that the blood of all martyrs, including the martyrs of the tragic events of January 20, has been avenged. Therefore, our people celebrate the 35th anniversary of the tragedy of January 20 with a sense of special pride.
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