Baku, January 21

On January 21, Baku International Multiculturalism Center held a conference dedicated to the 30^th anniversary of the tragedy of January 20.

Speaking to the conference, Executive Director of Baku International Multiculturalism Center Ravan Hasanov noted that the tragedy of January 20 was the starting point of our independence. He said that our sons and daughters, who 30 years ago stood up to the Soviet army barehanded, sacrificed their lives for our independence. It is due to their sacrifices that we have our independent and prosperous country today. Stressing the National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s matchless services in bringing the tragedy to the attention of the international community and giving it a deserved legal and political assessment, Ravan Hasanov spoke about how this tragedy had a decisive impact on strengthening Azerbaijani people’s determined pursuit of independence and confirmation of national identity. The executive director further noted that President Ilham Aliyev always fondly remembers and honors those, who died for the freedom and sovereignty of our country, and the head of our state calls January 20 as a “page of honor and heroism” in our history.

Then a documentary on the tragedy of January 20 was displayed.   

Deputy Chairperson of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations (SCWRO) Sayavush Heydarov said January 20 is the day of national awakening, in addition to being a day of mourning. He noted that January 20 has gone down in our history as a day of glory. January 20 is a symbol of the struggle for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of our country. The deputy chairman stressed that the martyrs of January 20, who are a source of pride to every Azerbaijani, will never be forgotten, this tragedy, which has made our people more united, will always be remembered by future generations, and the Bloody January epitomizes the fighting spirit and heroism of the Azerbaijani people.       

Sayavush Heydarov added that this crime perpetrated against our people was first condemned at a press conference in the premises of Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representation in Moscow on January 21, 1990 by our National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who called it an illegal, anti-democratic and anti-humanistic act and bravely exposed the bloody policy of the Soviet authorities, and a political and legal assessment was given to the events of January 20 after the National Leader’s return to power.  

Deputy Chairperson of Caucasian Muslims Office (CMO) Fuad Nurullayev noted that the military assault on the Azerbaijani people committed that night will remain in history as one of the most serious crimes against humanity. The killing and wounding of hundreds of innocent people as a result of the armed assault on people waging a peaceful struggle for their national freedom and territorial integrity showed the entire world the criminal nature of the totalitarian regime on the eve of its fall.    

Speeches were also made by Executive Director of Moral Values Promotion Fund Mehman Ismayilov, Professor of the Institute of Oriental Studies of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Solmaz Tohidi, Head of the Department of History of the Academy of Public Administration Firdovsiya Ahmadova, Chairman of Baku Religious Community of European Jews Alexander Sharovski, Chairman of Baku Religious Community of Mountain Jews Milikh Yevdayev, and Ordinary of the Apostolic Prefecture of the Roman Catholic Church in Azerbaijan Vladimir Fekete. They noted that the tragic events that took place in the capital city and districts of Azerbaijan 30 years ago have been etched in the memory of our people forever. Besides being a tragedy, these events have gone down in the history books of Azerbaijani people as a page of heroism. The criminal nature of this policy of the Soviet leadership is further confirmed by the data on those who lost their lives during the tragedy: 147 people were killed and 744 were wounded during the massacre committed by Soviet armies in Baku and other districts in January 1990. Among those killed, there were people of five different nationalities, including more than 20 women and children. The memory of the January 20 martyrs will always be cherished.