The Azerbaijan State News Agency

DAYS OF SORROW

31 MARCH – DAY OF AZERBAIJANIS` GENOCIDE

Baku, 30 March (AZERTAC). The genocide repeatedly committed against the Azerbaijani people and has not received throughout many years its political-legal assessment, is one of tragic pages of history. The purpose of the genocide committed by aggressive Armenian nationalists against Azerbaijanis within almost two hundred years, consisted in deportation of Azerbaijanis from their historical homelands and creation there by means of foreign patrons of the Armenian state. As it was marked in the Decree of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic dated March 26, 1998 “On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis”, “all tragedies which have occurred in XIX-XX centuries in Azerbaijan, being accompanied by capture of the lands, made separate stages of the systematic genocide carried out by Armenians concerning Azerbaijanis”. To realize this disgusting idea, measures of military, ideological and organizational character were consistently carried out. The centuries-old history of our people has been roughly distorted, and the history of Armenians was presented as ancient and exaggerated. Azerbaijanis were gradually ousted from the native lands, and in their territories were settled the Armenians moved from another countries. Throughout decades the genocide was accompanied by total ideological aggression, terror against the Turkish and Azerbaijani people, their outstanding representatives. In the conditions of discrimination concerning the Turk-Muslim people at the time of imperial Russia and the USSR this policy proceeded in more refined and dangerous methods, deportation and genocide of Azerbaijanis has accepted mass character.

If to recollect chronology of genocide carried out concerning Azerbaijanis, the scale and methodology of evil deeds made against our people and crimes should cause anger and indignation. Mass settling of Armenians on our historical lands after division of Azerbaijan as a result of war between the former Russian Empire and Iran, the slaughter made by Armenian dashnaks in 1905 and 1918 at support of the Imperial Russia and Bolsheviks, stage-by-stage transfer of our territories to Armenia in 1920s, deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia in 1948-1953 on the decision of the Soviet Government have been carried out under special scenario, as coherent plan components. Provoked by management of Armenia and the USSR separatist actions of the nationalists of Nagorno Karabakh in the late eighties which have outgrown subsequently in the present large-scale war, becoming about one million of Azerbaijanis as refugees and IDPs, occupation by Armenia of the 20 percent territory of the Azerbaijan Republic - all is the incomplete list of the acts of militant Armenian chauvinists, obsessed with the crazy idea about “great Armenia”, and their patrons.

Still in the twenties of XVIII century tsar Peter I has instructed on placing of Armenians in Baku and Derbent, the historical lands of Azerbaijanis. And in 1802 tsar Alexander I, has directed to the Caucasian governor concrete instruction about use at any cost Armenians at capture of the Azerbaijan khanates. As a result of the Russian-Iranian and Russian-Turkish wars in XIX century, on the Azerbaijani lands it has been moved 40 thousand Armenians from Iran and 85 thousand from Turkey, and in territories of Iravan and Nakhchivan khanates “the Armenian province” was formed. As a matter of fact, it became the base of the future Armenia created at the expense of the Azerbaijani lands. It has to be reminded that at that time in the city of Yerevan there lived 7331 Azerbaijanis and 2369 Armenians. In the spring of 1918 Armenians, including Stepan Shaumyan, who, under the mask of a Bolshevik, pursued dashnak policy, and his supporters have carried out evil deeds concerning Azerbaijanis in Baku, Shamakhi, Guba, Karabakh, Lankaran, Ganja, Zangezur and in other regions, with special cruelty have exterminated more than 70 thousand innocent people, have wiped villages, and their inhabitants have been driven from homelands. The Armenian armed groups have destroyed 229 villages in the Baku district, 272 - in Ganja, 15 - in Zangezur province and 157 - in Karabakh. In 1918-1920s, the dashanks with unprecedented cruelty have killed in the Western Azerbaijan of 565 thousand Azerbaijanis.

In connection with slaughter arranged in Baku and adjoining districts, S. Shaumyan wrote on April, 13, 1918, to Moscow: “We used as a pretext armed attack on our cavalry group and have gone over to the offensive on all fronts. We already had the 6-thousand armed forces. The dashnak armed national units were also in our disposal. Their participation has given to civil war the character of national slaughter. However, it was impossible to prevent it. We intentionally have gone on it. If Azerbaijanis took upwards then they could declare Baku capital of Azerbaijan”.

Though the genocide pursued against Azerbaijanis also has long history, the truth about it has been brought to the public notice thanks to resoluteness of the nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev. Only after his Decree from March 26, 1998 the genocide has received its political-legal assessment. Since then March 31 is marked at the state level as Day of Azerbaijanis` genocide, carried out actions of respect of the memory of victims of genocide.

Using possibilities of foreign Armenian Diaspora and the Armenian lobby in the large states, the Armenian nationalists continue to create an image of “the poor, oppressed Armenian nation”, try to hide the truth about the genocide committed by them against Azerbaijanis and the Turk, to take away attention of world community from the fact of occupation of the Azerbaijani lands. However, they should remember that their monstrous acts should receive its political-legal assessment as crimes against humanity. The world states should refuse stereotypes in this question, generated as a result of the Armenian propagation, and not give in to false tears of "the distressful nation”.

May Allah bless the souls of the victims of genocide!

Share news on social media

Follow us on social network

Arsenal beats Man United 1-0 to take title race with Man City to final day of Premier League season

Georgian Parliament will “fulfil people’s will tomorrow and day after” - PM on adopting transparency bill

"Garabaghname" photo exhibition opens as part of Kharibulbul festival in Shusha

Azerbaijani Defense Ministry presents weekly summary of events

Azerbaijan's Parliament Speaker embarks on working visit to Uzbekistan

Azerbaijan joins charity bazaar in US

Coordination Headquarters convenes for meeting in Khankendi

Switzerland's Nemo wins the Eurovision Song Contest 2024

Severe geomagnetic storm hitting Earth could knock out power, electronics worldwide

ADA University hosts event on preparations for COP29

Death toll from Afghanistan's floods exceeds 330

Shusha hosts 7th “Kharibulbul" International Music Festival

‘Azerbaijan`s chairmanship in NAM created good opportunities for small countries` voices to be heard’

Azerbaijani para-taekwondo fighter crowned European champion

Azercosmos to attend CABSAT MENA 2024 international exhibition in Dubai

Magnitude 5.2 quake rocks Azerbaijan’s Lankaran district

Azerbaijani Defense Minister commends Air Forces’ activities

Azerbaijani judokas grab bronze medals at Radom European Kata Tournament 2024

Azerbaijan relocates first group of residents to Shusha city, Sus village

Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final

Reservists are accomplishing following tasks within training session, Defense Ministry

2 killed, 23 injured in storm-related incidents in Indian capital

China`s Li Yuehong shines in Baku, winning gold medal

Death toll from Afghanistan's floods exceeds 330

Azerbaijan and Lesotho Gymnastics Federations ink MoU on cooperation

Azerbaijan represented at Rabat International Book Fair

Shusha hosted opening ceremony of 7th “Kharibulbul" International Music Festival and “Shusha - the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World 2024”
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the event VIDEO

Director-General: ICESCO proud of President Ilham Aliyev's patronage of its nationwide plans

Mini football tournament dedicated to anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev wraps up

Azerbaijan, Türkiye discuss educational cooperation

Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik: Heydar Aliyev Foundation deserves congratulations for success it has achieved in such a short time span VIDEO

ICESCO Director-General: It's no wonder that Shusha is considered the capital of Caucasus music VIDEO

Chad in need of food aid for 6 million of its people: UN

Azerbaijani, Armenian FMs hold talks in Kazakhstan’s Almaty

President: I am confident that there will always be peace in Azerbaijani lands from now on

President Ilham Aliyev: Shusha symbolizes heroism, victory, and peace

Azerbaijani President: Active efforts underway to restore Shusha's historical image

President: Azerbaijan is making great efforts to strengthen Islamic solidarity VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev: “Declaration of Shusha as the cultural capital of the Islamic world is a sign of the Muslim world's respect for Azerbaijan” VIDEO

Azerbaijani male jockey triumphs in Moscow

Death toll from flooding in Kenya rises to 267

Chinese Shaanxi province delegation visits AZERTAC VIDEO

Heydar Aliyev Foundation, ICESCO ink memorandum on cooperation

COP29 President-Designate visits Azerbaijani park in Pakistan

Azerbaijani Embassy in Lebanon hosts event marking 101st anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev

Prime Minister Ali Asadov congratulates Mikhail Mishustin on his reappointment as PM of Russian Federation

President Ilham Aliyev received ICESCO Director-General in Shusha VIDEO

Azerbaijani oil price down in global markets

Khurshudbanu Natavan’s statue re-erected in Paris

Azerbaijani judoka grabs bronze at Judo Grand Slam 2024 in Astana

Oil prices fall in global markets

Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington hosts event to commemorate National Leader Heydar Aliyev

"Extreme" G5 geomagnetic storm reaches Earth, NOAA says, following "unusual" solar event

More than 60 people killed from heat stroke in Thailand this year

An initiative gathers momentum ahead of COP29: Azerbaijan hosts mass tree-planting event and flashmob

President Ilham Aliyev participated in inauguration of small hydropower stations VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev met with residents who had relocated to Sus village in Lachin district VIDEO

COP29 President-Designate visits COMSATS headquarters in Pakistan

President Ilham Aliyev participated in opening of first residential complex in Shusha and met with the city's first returning residents VIDEO

Pakistani Prime Minister invited to COP29

Nicosia to host joint meeting of working groups on Azerbaijan, Türkiye and Northern Cyprus interparliamentary relations

International Turkic Academy expands international relations

AZERTAC employees pay tribute to National Leader Heydar Aliyev

President Ilham Aliyev laid foundation stone for Turshsu settlement in Shusha district VIDEO

Pan African Climate Justice Alliance commends Azerbaijan's leadership in global climate action

President Ilham Aliyev inspected progress of reconstruction of Khankendi-Shusha-Lachin highway VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended inauguration of Mamayi Mosque after restoration VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev inspected ongoing restoration work at the Ashaghi Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha VIDEO

Shirin Su Bathhouse inaugurated in Shusha after restoration VIDEO

Three people dead in bus crash in St. Petersburg, nine rescued, four — in clinical death

‘Blast-furnace heat every day’: Record temperatures cancel classes, widening learning gaps across Southeast Asia

Turkish National Defense University’s delegation concludes visit to Azerbaijan

President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva oversaw ongoing restoration work at Uzeyir Hajibeyli House Museum in Shusha VIDEO

President of Pakistan receives COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev

President Ilham Aliyev inspected restoration works at Chol Gala Mosque in Shusha VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva participated in groundbreaking ceremony for third residential complex in Shusha VIDEO

Bandits storm Kogi varsity, abduct students

Swiss companies’ involvement in reconstruction works in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur discussed

President Ilham Aliyev: Thanks to the National Leader’s activity we embarked on a path of development

Four Azerbaijani judokas to battle for bronze medals at Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2024

President: We never wanted war, and we don't want it today either

President’s warning: If we see that weapons given to Armenia reach a critical level, then, let no one have any hard feelings

President: Return of occupied lands in Gazakh and conducting delimitation and demarcation on our terms is another victory VIDEO

Chad declares military leader, Deby Itno, winner of disputed election

President of Azerbaijan: We are the leading state in the Caucasus, and everyone should reckon with us VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev: Life will be brought back to at least 20 residential areas before the end of this year

Mariya Stadnik one step away from Paris Olympics

President: The regions of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur will become one of the most beautiful places in the world

President Ilham Aliyev highlights restoration of historical monuments during his meeting with Shusha residents

President: A new history of Shusha begins today VIDEO

Azerbaijani President: The war could not have ended successfully without Shusha

President Ilham Aliyev congratulates Shusha residents on their returning to the native land VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev: Our people have demonstrated such heroism that today, the whole world talks about the sons of Azerbaijan

Teymur Rajabov to compete at Sharjah Masters 2024

Azerbaijan Army holds military oath-taking ceremonies VIDEO

2,377 Azerbaijani nationals work for bp

Korea’s Kim Yeji triumphs at ISSF Baku World Cup 2024

South Caucasus Pipeline Company spent around $17.3 million in operating expenditure, about $1.2 million in capital expenditure in Q1 2024

Three Azerbaijani wrestlers book Paris 2024 Greco spots

President Ilham Aliyev inspected progress of construction of Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha highway and attended opening of first tunnel