President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, and their family members participated in the inauguration of the Khojaly Genocide Memorial in the city of Khojaly on February 26.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the memorial. Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President, briefed the head of state and the First Vice President on the memorial's design and conceptual elements.
The Khojaly Genocide Memorial was established following a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev in February 2025. The project, realized based on a concept developed by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, aims to eternalize the memory of the victims of the Khojaly tragedy, convey historical truths to future generations, and preserve national memory. The memorial features a monolithic structure designed in the shape of symbolic hands attempting to protect the residents of Khojaly from the genocide. Almond trees, which bloom at the end of winter as harbingers of spring, have been planted in the courtyard as a tribute to the victims, symbolizing the "Justice for Khojaly" campaign.
The memorial consists of four sections, including exposition halls that house installations such as "Face of the Tragedy" by Rashad Alakbarov and Azer Rustamov. The exhibits utilize documents, maps, and interactive models to present the historical roots of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the policy of occupation, and the legal-political assessment of the genocide given by National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The exposition also highlights the international "Justice for Khojaly" campaign initiated by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and concludes with information on the 44-day Patriotic War and the restoration of Azerbaijan's state sovereignty.
Addressing representatives of the Khojaly community, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the Khojaly genocide was a bloody war crime committed by the Armenian state against humanity. "We ensured justice ourselves through the professionalism and heroism of our Armed Forces. Bringing the war criminals to justice was the final point of our struggle for justice," the President stated. He noted that the liberation of Khojaly and the subsequent restoration of sovereignty have finally allowed for the memorial to be built on its rightful soil rather than in Baku.
The Khojaly genocide occurred on the night of February 25-26, 1992, when Armenian armed forces, with the participation of the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the former Soviet army, attacked the town. The massacre resulted in the deaths of 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens. Eight families were completely wiped out, and 1,275 residents were taken hostage. The liberation of the city in recent years and the establishment of this memorial serve as a testament to Azerbaijan's commitment to never forgetting the atrocities and ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.
