Azerbaijani Ombudsperson issues statement on 22nd anniversary of Khojaly genocide
Baku, February 12 (AZERTAC). Azerbaijan`s Commissioner on Human Rights Elmira Suleymanova has issued a statement on the 22nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide committed by the Armenian armed forces against Azerbaijani civilians.
The statement is addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, United Nations Security Council, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, European Commission, the Council of Europe, OSCE, International Ombudsman Institute, European Ombudsman Institute and Asian Ombudsman Association, International Peace Bureau, Universal Peace Federation, ombudspersons of numerous countries, embassies of Azerbaijan abroad, as well as the foreign embassies in Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations.
The statement says: “The crime committed in Khojaly by the Armenian armed forces together with the 366th motor-rifling regiment of former Soviet troops in Khankandi 22 years ago on the night from 25 to 26 February was one of the unprecedented events not only in the history of Nagorno-Karabakh war but also of the world wars due to its horrible results.
A lot of heavy military equipment of this regiment consisting also of the Armenian officers entered the town from three directions; the houses and social infrastructure were destroyed and burned down. The perpetrators annihilated Azerbaijanis who were forced to abandon the town in horror not even providing the corridor for them to leave the city.
During Khojaly genocide committed by Armenian aggressors against the Azerbaijani people, 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 old people were killed within some hours. 487 people were injured, 1275 civilians were taken captive. The fate of 150 of persons who have gone missing still is unknown. During that genocide eight families were totally exterminated, 25 children were deprived of both, 130 children were deprived of one parent, civilians were killed with savagery, captives and hostages were subjected to merciless torture. Children, women, the aged and disabled people were ruthlessly massacred; perpetrators of the genocide burned the Khojaly people alive with unprecedented cruelty, skinned off their skulls and pulled out their eyes. Fundamental human rights, basic right - right to life, of Azerbaijanis were violated in a mass scale.
This gross human annihilation committed by the Republic of Armenia not being exposed to any kind of sanctions for the crimes of human rights should be assessed as a new stage of purposeful policy targeted at the state independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, as well as the savagery and genocide which doesn’t have analogue in human history due to the unbelievable cruelty and inhuman punishment methods.
Thus, according to international law, genocide is defined as an act committed against peace and humanity and considered to be the gravest international crime. The UN General Assembly Resolution 96 (I) of 11 December 1946 enshrines that genocide, through rejecting the right of people to life, degrades human dignity, and deprives the mankind of the material and spiritual values created by human beings. Such odious acts are completely contrary to the spirit and aims of the United Nations and universal values.
The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the Resolution 260(III) of the UN General Assembly of 9 December 1948, which entered into force in 1951, provides legal framework for the crime of genocide. The Contracting Parties confirmed that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or war, is a crime under international law which they undertook to prevent and punish.”
According to the statement, the genocide policy has been witnessed by world community for years. “However, according to the universal norms of international law, inviolability of borders should be respected; violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty is unacceptable. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and other relevant international legal acts provide a legal framework for recognizing Khojaly tragedy as genocide.”
The document also stresses that Khojaly tragedy was officially recognized by the legislative bodies of Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Pakistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, the Czech Republic and Jordan.
The OIC Youth Forum`s Justice for Khojaly international campaign in more than 40 world countries aims at bringing the truth about Khojaly to the attention of the world community.
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