Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 12 /. Trend E.Tariverdiyeva /
The collection of signatures under a petition posted on the official website of the White House for recognition of the Khojaly genocide was prematurely completed.
The petition placed on 'We the People' on the White House's official website, prematurely collected sufficient number of signatures to commemorate Khojaly genocide victims and the U.S President's statement on the eve of 21st Anniversary of the tragedy.
Some 100.000 signatures are required to be collected on the website of the White House under Azerbaijani's petition for President Barack Obama to issue a statement on the tragedy in Khojaly. According to the U.S. Constitution, following collection of the required number of signatures the White House will review the petition and may make a statement that reflects the interests of the signatories.
The start of voting under "We - the people" campaign to collect electronic signatures was announced on January 25.
On Feb. 25-26 February, 1992, Armenian occupation forces together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed in Khankendi (earlier Stepanakert) fired on the Azerbaijani town of Khojali that had been under siege for months when in one night the town was razed to the ground. Some 613 people were killed including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old men. A total of 1000 civilians were disabled during the genocide. Eight families were killed, 130 children lost one parent and 25 lost both. Additionally, 1275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.
