BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 25
Trend:
The Khojaly genocide, committed on the night of February 25-26, 1992, is engraved in the history of mankind as a bloody trace of the inhumane atrocities perpetrated by Armenians against the people of Azerbaijan through the most horrendous and unimaginable means and unprecedented cruelties, said Azerbaijani MP Parvin Karimzade.
"This act of vandalism, carried out in violation of all norms of international law, was a criminal act directed against not only the people of Azerbaijan, but all of humanity," she said.
The MP noted that the Azerbaijani people have been subjected to genocide by Armenians at different points in history.
"The Khojaly tragedy was a continuation of the Armenian genocidal policy targeted against our people with the help of their patrons," she said.
"In fact, Armenians had begun preparing for the Khojaly tragedy after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict had commenced. Although they had tried to commit similar actions in other parts of Karabakh as well, the worst had taken place in Khojaly," Karimzade said. "The horrors of this crime against humanity will never be erased from memory."
During the Karabakh war, Armenian military committed an act of genocide against the population of Azerbaijan’s Khojaly town consisting of 7,000 people on Feb. 26, 1992.
As many as 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people were killed as a result of the massacre. A total of 1,000 civilians became disabled in the onslaught. Eight families were completely annihilated, 130 children lost one parent, while 25 lost both parents. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people still remains unknown.
"The fact that these acts were committed in a premeditated manner, with the intention of completely or partially annihilating people on the basis of their ethnicity, confirms that the Khojaly tragedy was indeed a genocide as per international law," said the MP.
"On each anniversary of the tragedy, the victims of Khojaly are commemorated, rallies and pickets are held in their honour, and photos, films and materials depicting the atrocities of the Armenians are displayed in many countries around the world. Every year, articles on the tragedy are published in foreign publications, and programs are prepared for broadcasting on television and radio. The fact that this horrible crime is classified as a genocide is reflected in the decisions and resolutions of many countries and international organizations," said the MP.