Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 19 /Trend, K.Zarbaliyeva/
Azerbaijani National Security Ministry's Academy named after Heydar Aliyev held a ceremony of commemoration dedicated to the 21st anniversary of the 20 January tragedy.
After the national anthem of Azerbaijan, a minute silence was paid to the memory of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and independence of Azerbaijan, Ministry's center for information and public relations said.
The head of the Academy, Lieutenant General Zia Yusifzadeh spoke about the crimes committed by the units of the Soviet army on Jan. 20, 1990 against the civilian population, who struggled for the freedom and independence of Azerbaijan.
Yusifzadeh mentioned the significance of the fact that immediately after the bloody events, the National Leader Heydar Aliyev arrived at Azerbaijan's permanent mission in Moscow, made a speech at a news conference. According to Yusifzadeh, the great leader openly called those who committed this crime and demanded their punishment. According to him, after Heydar Aliyev came to power in the country, political and legal assessment was given to these events, memory of martyrs was created, assistance has provided to members of their families.
It was noted that Azerbaijan's lands should be freed from the occupation of the enemy, the Azerbaijanis expelled from their lands must return to their homelands. President Ilham Aliyev tirelessly works in this regard. It was noted that everyone should support this policy of Commander-in-Chief and make every efforts to free the motherland from occupation.