20 January tragedy victims commemorated in Serbia
The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Serbia has arranged a commemorative event to mark the 35th anniversary of the 20 January tragedy.
Embassy staff, representatives of the Azerbaijani community, the Center for the Azerbaijani Language and Culture, as well as “AzVirt” company reps attended the event.
In his remarks, Ambassador Kamil Khasiyev noted that the massacre committed by the Soviet army and internal troops against the civilian population in the cities of Baku, Sumgayit, Lankaran, and Neftchala on the night of January 19-20, 1990, could not break the determination of Azerbaijan's struggle for independence and territorial integrity. He added that as a result of this barbaric military aggression, 150 civilians were killed, 744 people were seriously wounded, and 4 went missing.
Ambassador Khasiyev emphasized that the day after the tragic events, National Leader Heydar Aliyev vehemently condemned this atrocity during the press conference held at the permanent representative office of Azerbaijan in Moscow, courageously announcing the names of the perpetrators to the world. “Following the restoration of our independence and the return of the National Leader to power in our country, a number of crimes committed against our people, including the 20 January tragedy, were given a political and legal assessment, and in March 1994 a decision “On the tragic events committed in Baku on 20 January 1990” was adopted by the Milli Majlis (Parliament),” the diplomat underscored.
As a sign of mourning, the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan was lowered to half-mast on the territory of embassy, and the dear memory of the martyrs of 20 January tragedy was commemorated with a minute of silence.
The event participants then arrived in Tasmajdan park and laid flowers at the monument to National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
