Georgia, Tbilisi, 19 January / corr. Trend N. Kirtskhalia/ The events dedicated to the 18th anniversary of the bloody tragedy that took place on 19 to 20 January of 1990 were held in Tbilisi and Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Marneuli region, on 18 January at the initiative of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia.
The representatives of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia, Azerbaijani and Georgian intelligentsia, Azerbaijani business structures functioning in Georgia and Namig Aliyev, the ambassador of Azerbaijan to Georgia laid wreaths on the foot of the bust of Heydar Aliyev in the park in the center of Tbilisi.
A round table was held in the Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Marneuli where Namig Aliyev, the representatives of the local intelligentsia, poets and writers made a speech. The participants of the round table honored the memory of the 20 January tragedy victims with a minute's silence. The head of the diplomatic mission donated 11 modern computers and other equipment to the Cultural Centre. Photo and book expositions were organized and a film devoted to the victims of the 20 January tragedy was displayed.
The night from 19 to 20 January of 1990 the Soviet Army without declaring emergency situation launched a military operation against Azerbaijan. As a result of the tragedy, 131 people have been killed, 117 out of them are Azerbaijanis, 6 Russians, 3 Jews, 3 Tatars. 744 people were injured, 4 missing, 400 people were arrested. After the emergency situation was declared 21 more people were killed. 25-26 people were killed in the regions (Neftchala, Lenkeran).