Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 22 / Trend K.Zarbaliyeva /
Investigative team is conducting the work necessary to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide, senior aide to the Azerbaijani General Prosecutor Azer Asgerov said on Wednesday.
He said in order to investigate all details of this monstrous crime against the Azerbaijani nation and give legal assessment to it, make organizers and perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide criminally liable as well as to sue at the international organizations on cases of violation of international legal standards, joint investigative team was established by the orders of the General Prosecutor, ministers of internal affairs and national security in late 2003.
Since 1988 the General Prosecutor's Office and other law enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan has begun criminal proceedings and started investigation on cases of outrageous torture used against Azerbaijani captives and hostages in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories occupied by Armenians. Many of them were killed, others became disabled persons. Investigation was also held into cases of terrorist and subversive acts against Azerbaijanis, their deportation, destruction of material values, cultural and historical heritage, and in other grave crimes committed by the Armenians, Mr Asgerov said.
He said this group is also instructed to resume investigation into cases, court procedure on which was suspended.
By order of the Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov dated May 5, 2005 implementation of the procedural guidance for all these case is entrusted with the Military Prosecutor of Azerbaijan.
Mr Asgerov expressed his confidence that the world community will give an objective assessment of the Khojaly genocide and those who committed this crime will soon be punished.
The Armenian military forces committed genocide in Khojaly on Feb. 26, 1992. Some 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old men. A total of 1,000 civilians were disabled during the genocide. Eight families were annihilated, 130 children lost one parent, and 25 lost both. Additionally, 1,275 peaceful residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.