Special Release from the Embassy of Azerbaijan on the Khojaly Genocide

In commemoration of the 26th anniversary of Khojaly Genocide, the Embassy of Azerbaijan Republic to Georgia in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, and the Loghman Medical Center, organized a visit to Tinistavi and Tedosminda villages, Gori region, for doctors on 22 February in order to implement mobile medical services in the villages.

The Embassy also organized a voluntary blood donation drive on February 26 at the Embassy.

February 26 marked the 26th anniversary of the Khojaly Genocide. From October 1991, the town was entirely surrounded by the armed forces of Armenia. Overnight on 25 - 26 February 1992, following a massive artillery bombardment of Khojaly, the assault on the town began from various directions. As a result, the armed forces of Armenia, with the help of the infantry guards regiment No. 366 of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), seized control of Khojaly. The invaders destroyed Khojaly and with particular brutality, implemented carnage over its peaceful population. As a result, 613 civilians were killed, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly. Another 1,000 people were wounded and 1,275 taken hostage. To this day, 150 people from Khojaly remain missing. The intentional slaughter of the civilians in Khojaly was directed at their mass extermination only because they were Azerbaijanis.

The Khojaly Genocide is recognized and commemorated by parliamentary acts adopted in numerous countries. So far, the legislative bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Honduras, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Romania, Sudan, Djibouti, Guatemala, Scotland as well as nineteen states of the United States of America have adopted relevant parliamentary resolutions.

This recognition is essential to send a political message to the perpetrators that in no way can a culture of impunity prevail and sooner rather than later justice will triumph. Furthermore, this kind of political decision contributes to achieving peace and reconciliation in the region and prevents the repetition of such crimes.

From the EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN TO GEORGIA