Baku, 14 January (AZERTAC). The night from February 25 to 26, 1992, has been recorded in black letters in history of the Azerbaijani people. That night the Armenian armed formations with the support of military staff and armored technique of 366th motor-rifle regiment billeted in the city of Khankendi, the majority of staff of which were Armenians, have wiped the city of Khojaly off the face of earth.

As the acts of genocide in Khatyn, Lidice and Oradour, the Khojaly tragedy also became the bloody event added in history of civilization. This mass slaughter committed by the Armenian aggressors against the Azerbaijani people, has led to death of 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 old men. 487 people have been wounded, 1275 civilians were taken as hostages, and 150 people are missing up to know.

The evil deeds committed in Khojaly can be compared with nothing. As a result of this act of genocide, 8 families have been completely annihilated, the civilians were exterminated with unprecedented cruelty, and the prisoners were subjected to ruthless tortures.

In due time, the world press have written much about the Khojaly tragedy.

“The Sunday Times” (London), March 1, 1992: “The Armenian soldiers have annihilated thousand families”.

Newspaper “The Times” (London), on March 4, 1992: “Many corpses have been disfigured, and of the corpse of a little girl there remained only her head”.

“Izvestiya” (Moscow), March 4, 1992: ”The camera has demonstrated corpses of children with the cut off ears. The half of the face of a woman has been cut off. Men`s corpses were scalped”.

The newspaper “Financial Times” (London), March 14, 1992: “General Polyakov has informed that 103 servicemen of the Armenian nationality of 366th regiment remained in Nagorno Karabakh”.

The newspaper “Le Monde” (Paris): March 14, 1992: “The foreign journalists, who were in Agdam, saw among corpses of the women and children killed in Khojaly, corpses of three persons who were scalped and whose nails were pulled out. It is not propagation of Azerbaijanis, but the truth.”

“Izvestiya” (Moscow), March 13, 1992: “Major Leonid Kravets: I personally saw on a hill about hundred corpses. The corpse of a boy did not have a head. Everywhere were seen corpses of women, children and the old men, killed with special cruelty.”

R. Patrick, journalist of English TV Company “Fant Men News” (he was on the scene): “In the eyes of world community, it is impossible to justify the evil deeds in Khojaly.”

The Lebanese cameraman has confirmed that the well-off Dashnak community of his country sends to Karabah weapon and people.

According to the Russian human rights center “Memorial”, during four days 200 corpses of the Azerbaijanis killed in Khojaly were taken to Agdam, and was established the fact that tens corpses have undergone to abuse. In Agdam, the forensic medical examination of 181 corpses (130 men and 51 women, including 13 children) has been carried out. During examination it has been established that the cause of death of 151 people was bullet wounds, and of 20 people – missile wounds, 10 people have been killed with a blow on the head. The Center has also fixed the fact of scalping of the live person.

Magazine “Newsweek” (USA), March 16, 1992: “Last week Azerbaijan has again turned to a cemetery: there were a lot of refugees and disfigured corpses behind a mosque. They were simple Azerbaijani men, women and children from small settlement Khojaly in Nagorno Karabakh, taken by the Armenian military men on February 25-26. Many have been killed at attempt of flight by a shot at a distance, the corpses have been severely disfigured, and others were scalped. Members of the families of victims cried and mourned.”

The photographer of the “Reuters” Agency Frederic Lengein: “In the first lorry I have counted 35 corpses, and in the second corpses was even more. Heads of some corpses were cut off, and many were partially burned...”

”The Sunday Times” (London), March 1, 1992: “Thomas Goltz: The survived Azerbaijanis tell that the Armenian soldiers have shot or bayoneted more than 450 Azerbaijanis. Majority of them were women and children. Hundreds and even thousand people were missing or were lost. Last night 579 corpses have been brought to the Agdam mortuary. 29 corpses have been buried on a cemetery. Among seven corpses I saw corpses of two children and three women.

On one of the corpses there was a bullet wound in the breast, received from short distance. In Agdam hospital, there was a monstrous picture. Doctors have informed that the majority of 140 patients who have escaped from slaughter received missile wounds …”

“The Sunday Times” (London), March 8, 1992: “Thomas Goltz: Last week this district has disappeared from the map. Terrible news came to Agdam, the front-city of Azerbaijan, and mortuaries were overflowed with corpses… I was last western person who has visited Karabakh. It was January, and the people foresaw their bitter destiny. Defenders of Azerbaijan perished one after another. The survived said that the Armenian forces have started a ruthless massacre, shot on everything that moved. Some expressed their anger to foreigners. Mothers groaned: “Where is my daughter, where is my son? Raped... Cut off... Missing...”

The newspaper “Times” (London), March 2, 1992: “Anatoly Liven: Having landed on the hills of Nagorno Karabakh, covered with snow, we saw corpses everywhere. Distinctly it was seen that people have been shot, trying to seek safety in flight …”

The newspaper “Times” (London), March 3, 1992: “Anatoly Liven: Scattered on the hills of Nagorno Karabakh more than 60 corpses of women and children confirm the information on annihilation by the Armenian armies of the peaceful Azerbaijani population. Hundreds people were missing. The corpses of the Azerbaijani refugees scattered along hills and small plain, prove the slaughter committed by the Armenian militants past Wednesday …”

The “Channel 4 News” (Great Britain), March 2, 1992: “Two French journalists saw 32 corpses of men, women and children in civil clothes. The majority of these people were killed by shots in the head from short distance”.

The newspaper “Boston Sunday Globe” (USA), January 21, 1993: “Employee of Globe John Auerbach: “Intimidated children in camp of the refugees, the trucks overflowed with groaning mothers, hundreds of people who have turned pale for fear, thousand Azerbaijanis seek answer to a question: what for they search here for a refuge? What we saw was the result of regular destruction of each village on their way. What we saw was the event arousing outrage and hatred …”

The newspaper “Age”, Melbourne (Australia), March 6, 1992: “Helen Vomak: Exact number of victims is not known, however, there are no doubts that past week in snowy mountains of Nagorno Karabakh the civilians of the Azerbaijan village Khojaly have been exterminated by the Armenian troops. The Khojaly refugees in the Azerbaijan city Agdam in detail tell about how Armenians have attacked their houses on February 25, tracked down and killed those who ran and hid in wood. Having arrived on Tuesday in Agdam, we have seen newly dug-out 75 graves and four disfigured corpses in a mosque …”

“The Washington Post” (USA), February 28, 1992: “Refugees say that during attack of Armenians, hundreds people were lost. Today were found 7 corpses, including corpses of two children and three women, one of these people was killed by a shot in breast at short distance. 120 refugees with severe wounds are in Agdam hospital”.

“The Washington Times” (USA), March 2, 1992: “During an attack, by the Armenians have been killed or were missing hundreds Azerbaijanis. About 1000 inhabitants of Khojaly have been exterminated on Tuesday by the Armenian troops. Azerbaijan TV has demonstrated the trucks overflowed with corpses from Khojaly territory”.

“The Independent” (London), February 29, 1992: “Helen Vomak:” Elif Kaban of Reuters in Agdam informs that after yesterday`s massacre of civilians, Azerbaijanis bury the people who were lost during attack of Armenians on the city of Khojaly. “The world shuts eyes to the happenings here. We are killed, and you simply observe”, one of people shouted at group of journalists”.

The newspaper “Nie” (Bulgaria), Violetta Parvanova: “Khojaly – tragedy of humanity”.

“BBC Morning News”, March 3, 1992, “Our correspondent who has visited the scene has informed that he has seen more than 100 corpses of Azerbaijanis – men, women and children who have been killed by shots in the head at short distance”.

Eyewitness of Khojaly tragedy and resettled later in capital of Lebanon, Beirut, the Armenian journalist Daud Kheirian in the book titled “In the Name of Cross” writes (page: 62-63): “… having burnt the corpses, the group of Armenians on March 2 has collected and took corpses of 100 Azerbaijanis to the west from Khojaly. Among the corpses brought in last truck, I have seen a girl of 10 years. She was wounded in the head and hands. Her face has turned blue. Despite cold, hunger and wounds, she was still live. She very difficultly breathed. Her eyes were filled with fear of death. During this moment, Tigran, an Armenian militant, took the girl and threw on corpses. Then, they have set fire on all corpses. It seemed to me that among burning corpses someone was shouting. I could not do anything. Then, I have arrived in Shusha. And they have continued the war “for the sake of cross”.

The documents contain testimonies of witnesses of the Khojaly genocide.

Heydarov Jamal: “In two kilometers from a farm near Garagaya area there was a significant amount of the disfigured corpses of Azerbaijanis. The killed children`s breast has been ripped up, and hearts were pulled out, the majority of corpses were chopped up on pieces”.

Heydarov Shahin saw near the village Nakhchivanik (Khojaly) about 80 corpses that were in terrifying condition and the heads have been chopped off. Among the killed there was also major of militia Alif Hajiyev, his close relative Fakhraddin and Mikail Salimov.

Humbatov Jalil. On his eyes Armenians have shot his wife Firuza, his son son Mugan, his daughter Simuzar and daughter-in-law Sudaba.

Pashayeva Kubra, having entered into Ketik wood, she has appeared in encirclement of Armenians. When she hid in a bush, she saw execution of her husband Pashaev Shura and her son Pashaev Elshad.

Amirova Khazangul. During capture of Khojaly the Armenian insurgents took all her family as hostages. Armenians have shot her mother Raya, her 7-year-old sister Yegana and aunt Geyche, have poured gasoline and burnt her father Amirov Tevekkul.

Aliyeva Zoya with 150 people within three days was in wood. In wood, Ahmedova Dunya and her sister Gulkhar have frozen in her eyes.

Mustafayeva Kubra: “As soon as Armenians took us as hostages, they fired at us - me and six other people.”

Kerimova Saida: “We have been taken hostage together with 12 people. Armenians have subjected to tortures and killed my daughter Nazaket, as well as Tapdig, Saadat and Irada”.

Najafov Ali: “Armenians surrounded the escaping people and shot 30-40 persons”.

Since 1994, on the initiative of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, the government and parliament of Azerbaijan carried out consecutive measures to inform the world states and international community all scale and horror of the crimes committed by the Armenian nationalists against Azerbaijanis, including the truth on the Khojaly genocide, to achieve their recognition as genocide. Now, this work is continued by President Ilham Aliyev.

Special role in distribution to the countries of the world of numerous booklets and the video data narrating on the truth about Khojaly, belongs to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan has declared February 26 as the “Day of Khojaly genocide”. This day all Azerbaijan honors memory of the victims of tragedy.

Peaceful people of the planet, the civilized states, the influential international organizations and world community should know this bitter truth committed against humanity and should give legal assessment.

According to international law, the genocide is the act committed against the world and civilization, and is considered the heaviest international crime. The Convention on prevention and punishment of the culprit of the crime of genocide, the Resolution of UN General Assembly # 260 (III) dated December 9, 1948, which came into effect in 1961, contain legal characteristics of the crime of genocide. During aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, all the above-noted actions making the crime of genocide took place. The policy of terrorism carried out by this aggressive country throughout many years, occurs in the face of world community. However, according to the norms of international law, principles of the United Nations and OSCE, it is necessary to respect inviolability of borders of the states, and is inadmissible violation of their territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The United Nations Security Council has accepted four resolutions on unconditional liberation of the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, but aggressive Armenia still ignores them.

Today, the inhabitants of Khojaly ousted from their homelands address the people and world states, the international organizations to support truth and justice, and condemn the genocide committed in Khojaly.

Culprits of the Khojaly genocide which is one of the bloodiest tragedies of the XX century should incur the deserved punishment. History forgets nothing.

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