Nationwide March to Commemorate 27Th Anniversary of Khojaly

Home , Arzu Aliyeva, Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Leyla Aliyeva, Mehriban Aliyeva

A nationwide march has been held in Baku to commemorate the 27th anniversary of Khojaly genocide, one of the bloodiest crimes in the history of mankind. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, first lady Mehriban Aliyeva and family members attended the march.

TheThe nationwide nationwide march, march, which which began began from from the the Azadlyg Azadlyg Square Square in inKhatai Khatai district, district, involves involves ten ten thousands thousands of of people.people. They They gathered gathered to to pay pay tribute tribute to to victims victims of of Khojaly Khojaly tragedy tragedy and and draw draw the the world world community`s community`s attention attention to to this this crime against humanity, which was committed by the Armenian fascists.

WithWith President President Ilham Ilham Aliyev Aliyev and and first first lady lady Mehriban Mehriban Aliyeva Aliyeva in in the the front front row, row, the the marchers marchers started started moving moving in in thethe directiondirection ofof thethe KhojalyKhojaly memorialmemorial inin KhataiKhatai district.district.

Thousands of young people gathered along the avenues and streets that the marchers are moving. They hold portraitsportraits of innocent of innocent victims victims of the of bloodythe bloody event event – slaughtered – slaughtered children, children, women women and andelders elders – photos – photos depicting depicting abominableabominable scenesscenes ofof slaughter,slaughter, placardsplacards demandingdemanding toto bringbring toto accountaccount andand punishpunish perpetratorsperpetrators ofof thethe tragedytragedy andand toto recognizerecognize thisthis genocidegenocide atat anan internationalinternational level,level, asas wellwell asas placardsplacards withwith namesnames andand surnamessurnames ofof victims.victims. “The“The worldworld mustmust recognize recognize Khojaly Khojaly genocide”, genocide”, “Justice “Justice for for Khojaly”, Khojaly”, “Do “Do not not forget forget Khojaly”, Khojaly”, “No “No to to Armenian Armenian fascism”, fascism”, “Khojaly “Khojaly genocidegenocide -27” -27” and and other other slogans slogans are are displayed displayed on on large large monitors monitors along along the the streets, streets, and and on on placards placards on on building building walls walls and balconies.

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A ceremonial guard of honor was lined up around the memorial.

PresidentPresident of of the the Republic Republic of of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Ilham Ilham Aliyev Aliyev put put a a wreath wreath at at the the memorial memorial and and paid paid tribute tribute to to Khojaly Khojaly victims.

FirstFirst Vice-President Vice-President Mehriban Mehriban Aliyeva, Aliyeva, Prime Prime Minister Minister Novruz Novruz Mammadov, Mammadov, Speaker Speaker of of the the Milli Milli Majlis Majlis Ogtay Ogtay Asadov, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva, Arzu Aliyeva laid flowers at the monument.

StateState and and government government officials, officials, members members of of the the Milli Milli Majlis, Majlis, ministers, ministers, heads heads of of committees committees and and companies, companies, representativesrepresentatives of ofthe the diplomatic diplomatic corps, corps, heads heads of ofreligious religious confessions, confessions, as as well well as as Khojaly Khojaly genocide genocide survivors survivors also also placed flowers at the memorial.

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A Russian delegation also attended the nationwide march.

President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva met with the Russian delegation and talked to them.

President Ilham Aliyev then was interviewed by the Russian Rossiya-24 TV channel.

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The name of Khojaly, which was wiped off the face of the earth in just one night, is now mentioned along with Katyn, Lidice and Songmy.

ThisThis nationwide nationwide march march is isa climaxa climax of oflarge-scale large-scale work work carried carried out out by by Azerbaijan Azerbaijan in inorder order to tomake make the the truth truth aboutabout Khojaly Khojaly genocide genocide known known to to the the world world and and convince convince the the international international community community that that if ifthe the perpetrators perpetrators of of this this genocide remain unpunished, this may lead to a repetition of such tragedies in any place across the globe. The march showedshowed thethe AzerbaijaniAzerbaijani people`speople`s unity,unity, theirtheir respectrespect forfor martyrsmartyrs asas wellwell asas theirtheir eagernesseagerness toto dodo theirtheir utmostutmost toto liberateliberate thethe occupiedoccupied territoriesterritories andand restorerestore thethe country`scountry`s territorialterritorial integrity.integrity.

TheThe atrocity atrocity committed committed by Armeniansby Armenians in thein thetown town of Khojalyof Khojaly in Nagorno-Karabakhin Nagorno-Karabakh on onthe thenight night of 25-26of 25-26 FebruaryFebruary 1992 1992 went went down down in thein the history history of Azerbaijanof Azerbaijan as asa bloody a bloody page. page. That That night night helped helped by bythe the Soviet Soviet Union`s Union`s Khankandi-basedKhankandi-based 366th 366th motor motor rifle rifle regiment, regiment, the the Armenian Armenian armed armed forces forces massacred massacred innocent innocent people people in in this this ancient ancient Azerbaijani town.

TheThe statistics statistics of of Khojaly Khojaly genocide genocide are are as as follows: follows: of of 3,000 3,000 people people who who were were in in the the town town at at the the moment moment of of the the attack 613 were killed, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elders; 487 people were severely wounded, including 7676 children; children; 1,275 1,275 people people were were captured captured and and subjected subjected to to unprecedented unprecedented torture; torture; the the fate fate of of 197 197 people people still still remains remains unknown.unknown. Eight Eight families families were were totally totally annihilated. annihilated. All Allthese these people people were were slaughtered, slaughtered, tortured tortured and and disabled disabled solely solely because of their ethnic background, only for being Azerbaijanis.

ThisThis genocidal genocidal act actby theby theArmenians Armenians was was deliberately deliberately planned planned and andits onlyits only objective objective was was to partially to partially or or completelycompletely wipe wipe out out civilians civilians because because of of their their nationality. nationality. These These actions actions are are defined defined as as genocide genocide under under international international law,law, whichwhich mustmust bebe recognizedrecognized byby thethe worldworld community.community.

The real essence of this genocide, which was committed in front of the eyes of the world, was uncovered only afterafter national national leader leader Heydar Heydar Aliyev`s Aliyev`s coming coming to to political political power. power. On On initiative initiative of of the the national national leader leader Khojaly Khojaly genocide genocide waswas given given a a political political and and legal legal assessment, assessment, and and February February 26 26 was was declared declared “Day “Day of of Khojaly Khojaly Genocide”. Genocide”. Launched Launched by by Vice-PresidentVice-President of ofthe the Heydar Heydar Aliyev Aliyev Foundation Foundation Leyla Leyla Aliyeva Aliyeva in in2008, 2008, “Justice “Justice for for Khojaly” Khojaly” international international campaign campaign boostedboosted the theawareness-raising awareness-raising efforts efforts even even more. more. The The campaign campaign has has contributed contributed to increasingto increasing the theinternational international community`scommunity`s awareness awareness of the of thetruth truth about about this thisgenocide, genocide, exposing exposing the theArmenian Armenian nationalists nationalists who who resort resort to any to any violence,violence, includingincluding thethe murdermurder ofof children,children, inin orderorder toto reachreach theirtheir ridiculousridiculous andand heinousheinous plans.plans. AsAs aa resultresult ofof systematicsystematic work,work, whatwhat happenedhappened inin KhojalyKhojaly waswas recognizedrecognized asas aa genocidalgenocidal actact byby thethe ParliamentaryParliamentary UnionUnion ofof thethe OrganizationOrganization ofof IslamicIslamic Cooperation, Cooperation, as aswell well as asthe the parliaments parliaments of Mexico,of Mexico, Pakistan, Pakistan, Czech Czech Republic, Republic, Peru, Peru, Colombia, Colombia, Panama, Panama, Honduras,Honduras, Sudan, Sudan, Guatemala Guatemala and and Djibouti. Djibouti. The The parliaments parliaments of of Romania, Romania, Bosnia Bosnia and and Herzegovina, Herzegovina, Serbia, Serbia, Jordan, Jordan, SloveniaSlovenia andand Scotland,Scotland, asas wellwell asas executiveexecutive andand legislativelegislative bodiesbodies ofof 2222 AmericanAmerican statesstates recognizedrecognized KhojalyKhojaly eventsevents asas a massacre.

As inAs previous in previous years years the Heydar the Heydar Aliyev Aliyev Foundation Foundation continued continued to support to support the organization the organization of Khojaly of Khojaly commemorativecommemorative events events across across the the world. world. This This included included commemorative commemorative rallies rallies in inTurkey, Turkey, USA, USA, Germany, Germany, Austria, Austria, Belgium,Belgium, GeorgiaGeorgia andand thethe Netherlands,Netherlands, commemorativecommemorative events,events, conferences,conferences, exhibitionsexhibitions andand contestscontests inin aa numbernumber ofof other countries.

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