Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 November / Trend , corr. I.Alizade /The Azerbaijani Government may grant compensation to members of families suffered from genocide committed by Armenian armed forces in the occupied Khojali region, as well as victims of the tragedy. "The Law 'On recognition of the Khojali tragedy as a genocide' envisages compensation to close relatives of victims. The Law was submitted to the Parliament for consideration," Zahid Oruj, the author of the Law and member of the Parliamentary Commission on Security and Defence Issues, said.
On the night of 26 February 1992 the Azerbaijani settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh, Khojali, was occupied by Armenian separatists. Approximately 3,000 people remained while the Armenian armed forces attacked the region. During this crime, 487 people, including 76 juveniles were physically disabled and 1,275 people were taken prisoner. Eight families were completely destroyed, 25 children lost both parents and 130 children lost one of parent. Despite the release of most of the prisoners, the fate of 150 people is still unknown.
Oruj said that some points related the genocide in Khojali is necessary to accept as a legal norm.
"The Law envisages recognition of the tragedy in Khojali as genocide. The legal result of the Law is to separate the victims of the tragedy from those who died in the war, as well as to sanction the public relations to the genocide and to introduce the issues related the tragedy to history," MP said.
Under the Law, City Administrations should estimate material and moral damage caused to genocide victims, as well as to sue to international courts to make Armenia to pay compensation. "At the same time, the Law envisages establishment of a centre for social and moral rehabilitation of victims of the genocide and to grant them special allowances," Oruj said.
Khojali will be given the status of the city which underwent genocide and this will be taken into account in the state policy. Under the Law, the persons who will directly or indirectly put under doubt the genocide in Khojali will be punished in accordance with the Criminal Code, as well as any concert, celebration and sale of alcohol drinks will be prohibited on 26 February.
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