Azerbaijani students hold rally on Khojaly genocide in Scotland (PHOTO)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 26

Trend:

Azerbaijani students studying in Scotland held a rally on the 26th anniversary of Khojaly genocide in the center of Aberdeen city.

Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend that along with the Azerbaijani students, other Azerbaijanis living in the city also participated in the rally. The participants shouted different slogans by holding the Azerbaijani flag and placards about about the Khojaly genocide in their hands.

During the rally, brochures about the Khojaly genocide and Armenian aggression were distributed to local residents and guests.

They gave detailed information about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the consequences of the war, the problem of refugees and IDPs, as well as the painful destiny of Khojaly and its Azerbaijani inhabitants.

The rally ended with the reading of an appeal addressed to international organizations and states. The appeal calls for recognition of the Khojaly genocide and giving legal assessment and putting pressure on Armenia to end its aggressive policy.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

On Feb. 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed 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. As many as 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people were killed in the massacre. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people still remains unknown.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.