The Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of Azerbaijan has addressed appeals to the heads of inter-parliamentary working groups, chairs of international parliamentary committees, and international parliamentary organizations regarding the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide.
The Press and Public Relations Department of the Milli Majlis informed Operative Information Center-OMM that the appeals emphasize the deep sorrow with which the people of Azerbaijan commemorate the victims of the massacre committed by Armenia during its occupation of the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The document stresses that the brutal killing of peaceful residents in the town of Khojaly remains one of the most heinous crimes against humanity of the 20th century.
According to the statement, 613 civilians were brutally murdered during the genocide based on their ethnicity, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly people. The massacre resulted in 8 families being completely wiped out, while 25 children lost both parents and 130 children lost one parent. The appeals highlight the unprecedented cruelty inflicted upon the victims, noting that bodies were desecrated and some victims were burned alive.
The Milli Majlis points out that the Khojaly genocide constitutes a gross violation of international humanitarian law, human rights, and various international treaties, including the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. It was further noted that following the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020 and local anti-terror measures in 2023, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Today, life has returned to all liberated territories, including Khojaly, where the memory of the victims continues to be honored.
The appeals also highlight that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan took the initial initiative to start and advance the peace process with Armenia. This process culminated in the initialing of the "Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia" in Washington, D.C., in August of last year. The current environment of de facto peace is being strengthened through confidence-building measures, such as Azerbaijan removing restrictions on cargo transportation to Armenia and ensuring the export of petroleum products.
The Khojaly genocide, which took place on the night of February 25-26, 1992, is recognized by numerous countries and international organizations as an act of genocide. The town of Khojaly was a strategic point in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan before it was attacked by Armenian armed forces with the support of the 366th motorized infantry regiment of the former USSR. The international campaign "Justice for Khojaly," initiated by Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, continues to work toward global awareness and legal recognition of the tragedy to ensure such crimes against humanity are never repeated.
