Azerbaijan commemorates the 18th anniversary of the 20 January tragedy - the bloody date in the country’s history. 18 years ago the leadership of the former USSR sent troops to suppress the struggle of Azerbaijani people who rose for democracy and national freedom, and committed unprecedented savageries in Baku, killing innocent people, including children, old, women, and hundreds people got numerous bodily injuries. Among the killed there were representatives of five nations.

Many countries estimated the 20th January as a result of the internal political struggle and fight for power. Though the international community gave relevant legal assessment to the events in Budapest in 1956, in Prague in 1968, as well as in Tbilisi in 1989, in Riga and Vilnius in 1991, they recognized the January 1990 events in Baku as obligatory step made by Moscow to neutralize the extremist forces and to allegedly save the peaceful people from massacre and chaos. After the 20 January, the measures undertaken by the then leaders of Azerbaijan were sign of indecision and capitulatory policy.

At those days, on behalf of the Azerbaijani people, the most serious statement was made by Heydar Aliyev in Moscow. Heydar Aliyev, the great son of his people, invincible personality, outstanding statesman, who was sent away from USSR leadership, was experiencing hard and unsafe days, nevertheless, had gone to Azerbaijan’s permanent representation in Moscow and indignantly accused the organizers of the bloody tragedy before the world community making an condemning and courageous statement in the capital of empire and before the media representatives and which aroused a great resonance.

It is noteworthy that till 1993, though the then leaders of Azerbaijan had enough time and opportunity to give legal-political assessment to the 20 January events, none of them did it. Only after demand of the Azerbaijani people when Heydar Aliyev returned to power, the 20 January 1990 tragedy was given relevant political-legal assessment at state level. The Presidential Decree “On marking of 4th anniversary of the 20 January tragedy”, dated January 5, 1994, ran: “On the January 20, 1990, that entered the history of our nation as bloody January tragedy, Azerbaijan had its first victims who fell for freedom and independence. 4 years elapse since that day written with blood to the memory of history. Unfortunately, during these four years, the 20 January events were not given political-legal assessment at state level. The Decree recommended to the Milli Majlis to convene special session of parliament to discuss and give political-legal assessment to the 20 January 1990 events. As a result of discussions, on March 29, 1994, the parliament adopted a decision, thus, finally giving full political-legal assessment to the 20 January events at state level. In decision, the 20 January 1990 events were assessed as a military aggression and crime of the totalitarian communist regime to demonstrate the power of soviet military machine to suppress national liberation movement in Azerbaijan, to break down the trust and will of the people that rose to establish its democratic and sovereign state.

We mark the 20th January not only as the day of mourning, but also as a glorious page of our history. Just on this day, courageous sons of Azerbaijani people proved that they could sacrifice their lives for freedom, independence. Memory of the martyrs who fell for independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan will live in our hearts forever.