CEREMONY TO MARK 17TH ANNIVERSARY OF KHOJALY GENOCIDE HELD IN BAKU
Baku, February 25 (AZERTAC). The Republican Commission on International Humanitarian Assistance, Baku office of Istanbul International Brotherhood and Solidarity Association and Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society organized a ceremony in Baku to mark the 17th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide.
The event was attended by MPs, officials, representatives of several public organizations operating in Azerbaijan and Turkey, journalists and others.
The ceremony was addressed by Azerbaijan`s Deputy Prime Minister, chief of the Republican Commission on International Humanitarian Assistance Ali Hasanov, Turkish Deputy Ambassador to the country Erkan Ozoral, President of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society, MP Novruz Aslanov, Head of the Executive Power of Khojaly town Shahmar Usubov, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport Intigam Babayev, official of the President`s Office Rasim Mirzayev and others.
The speakers described the Khojaly tragedy as “one of the most horrible crimes committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis during the last two hundred years” and a “terrorist act against the entire Turkic world.”
They cited toll of the dead and wounded in the tragedy, saying “613 innocent people were killed, while 487 wounded, 1275 taken hostage, with 155 of them still missing.”
They pointed out that after national leader Heydar Aliyev came to power he made strenuous efforts to make the world community aware of the Khojaly genocide, and that President Ilham Aliyev continues these efforts.
The speakers also noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation plays significant role in organizing events in foreign countries to commemorate the Khojaly genocide, preparing books, photos, documents featuring the tragedy and disseminating them in the world.
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