Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.21
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
Perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide must answer before a court, Chairman of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno Karabakh public association Bayram Safarov told journalists on Feb. 21.
"A large scale activity on the recognition of the Khojaly genocide worldwide is being conducted as part of the Justice for Khojaly campaign," he said. "Several countries have already recognised this tragedy as genocide."
Safarov said the problems of children who have lost both parents as a result of the Khojaly genocide are in the spotlight. The public association is also making efforts to resolve housing and other problems for these people.
On Feb.25-26, 1992 the Armenian occupation forces together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed in Khankendi committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.
Some 613 people were killed including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people. A total of 1000 civilians were disabled during the genocide. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. Some 1275 innocent residents were taken hostages, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
Translated by NH
Edited by SM