AMERICAN CONGRESSMAN CALLS KHOJALY TRAGEDY CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
Co-chair of the working group on Azerbaijan at the USA Congress Bill Schuster, State of Pennsylvania, made statement at the House of Representatives connected to the Khojaly tragedy. Addressing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he said: “The greatest benefit of the Congressmen is to elucidate the un-recognized truths. One of such less known truths is the tragedy, which happened on 26 February 1992 in the Azerbaijan city of Khojaly. Though 15 years have elapsed, interest and attention to the Khojaly events out of Azerbaijan is little”.
The American Congressman stated that in Khojaly located in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and being now under the control of Armenian forces, took place the most monstrous carnage over the Azerbaijan population.
Referring to the “Human Rights Watch” organization, the American journals “Times” and “Newsweek”, the Russian organization “Memorial” and other international sources, Bill Schuster stated that this massacre was committed by the Armenian armed forces with the assistance of the Russian 366th motor-rifle regiment. As a result of this crime, 613 civilians, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly were killed, 1275 people taken prisoner, while destiny of over 150 people are unknown. A part of population attempting to leave the city was surrounded and annihilated. On bodies of 200 Azerbaijanians taken during four days from Khojaly to Agdam, were revealed signs of outrage and torture.
“The “Human Rights Watch” Organization considers that “responsibility for massacre over the civilians completely lays on the Armenian forces in Karabakh”, Congressman Schuster reminded. “Armenians have committed massacre over the people of Khojaly and obliterated the city”, the Declaration 324 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe says.
Informing his colleagues at Congress on reasons of the happenings, Bill Schuster said: “Defense Minister of Armenia, speaking to British journalist Thomas de Vaal explained that. At his words, “till the Khojaly tragedy, the Azerbaijanians did not believe that Armenians would lift hand against the civilians. We could change this”.
Noting that the Armenian forces have occupied 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan and as a result of war, millions of Azerbaijanians became refugees and IDPs, Bill Schuster also recalled on the existence of relevant resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Naming the Khojaly tragedy a crime against humanity, the co-chair of the working group on Azerbaijan at the USA Congress urged to unite with Azerbaijanians who do not forget this tragedy.
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