Baku: Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement on the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy. "On the night of January 19-20, 1990, as a result of military aggression of the units of the Soviet Army and special forces, as well as contingents of internal troops against Azerbaijan, civilians, including children, women and elderly were massacred in the cities of Baku, Sumgayit, Lankaran and Neftchala by order of the USSR leadership. As a result of the occupying forces' military aggression 150 civilians were killed, 744 were seriously injured, and 4 people went missing.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the Soviet army was sent to the country to forcefully suppress the mass protests of the Azerbaijani people and the national independence movement. These protests began in response to the discrimination policy of the USSR leadership against the people of Azerbaijan, including the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from their historical lands in present-day Armenia, and Armenia's unfounded territorial claims against Karabakh. The statement emphasizes that this attack was an unprecedented massacre against the civilian population, grossly violating international law and the Constitution.
On January 21, 1990, immediately after the tragic events, at the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan in Moscow, National Leader Heydar Aliyev condemned the crime committed against the Azerbaijani people, demanding a political and legal assessment of the massacre and punishment of the perpetrators. The brutal killing of innocent people on January 20, 1990, was later qualified as military aggression and a crime during a special session of the Milli Majlis in February 1994. Subsequently, a decision titled 'On the tragic events committed in Baku on 20 January 1990' was adopted, declaring January 20 as National Mourning Day.
The January 20 tragedy significantly influenced the formation of the national identity of Azerbaijan and became a turning point in the restoration of the country's independence. The Azerbaijani people, subjected to military, political, and moral aggression by the Soviet regime 33 years ago, demonstrated commitment to their historical traditions of struggle. On that tragic day, those who gave their lives in defense of justice wrote a significant page in the heroic chronicle of Azerbaijan. The events marked a day of both tragedy and national pride, showcasing the Azerbaijani people's resolve to live free, sovereign, and independent.
Despite the passage of 33 years, the events of January 20, one of the most severe crimes of the 20th century, have not received an international legal assessment. The leadership of the former Soviet Union is directly responsible for this crime. According to international law, the tragedy should be classified as a crime against humanity, and its instigators and perpetrators must be held accountable.
Today, the souls of the heroic martyrs who gave their lives for Azerbaijan's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are at peace. Under the leadership of the Victorious Commander-in-Chief, the courageous Azerbaijani Army liberated territories under occupation for 30 years, restoring Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Actions against the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan will continue to be adequately countered. The statement concludes with a commemoration of the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of the country, the freedom of the people, and the independence of the state.