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.
-0-