Azerbaijan Denounces Armenian Allegations on Sumgayit Events, Calls Them “Unfounded” and “Distorted”
Baku, The Gulf Observer: Azerbaijan has strongly refuted allegations made by the Armenian Foreign Ministry regarding the Sumgayit events of 1988, calling them not only “unfounded” but also an attempt to distort historical facts. Aykhan Hajizada, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, issued a statement on Wednesday condemning the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s comments on the tragic events in Sumgayit.
“The Armenian Foreign Ministry’s statement of February 27 on the Sumgayit events is a deliberate distortion of history and an attempt to conceal acts of violence, mass expulsion of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, and the terror inflicted upon the Azerbaijani people,” Hajizada said. He added that the statement was part of an ongoing effort to justify Armenia’s illegal territorial claims against Azerbaijan and cover up acts of ethnic violence and military aggression.
Hajizada reminded the Armenian Foreign Ministry that the ethnic turmoil in Sumgayit was part of a larger, orchestrated provocation involving the leadership of the Soviet Union, Armenian chauvinists, and extremist organizations. He pointed out that the USSR prosecutor general’s office had opened a criminal investigation into the incident, which led to the identification of the rioters and the victims, with six Azerbaijanis among the total of 32 victims.
He also emphasized that the leader of the violent events, Eduard Grigoryan, was an ethnic Armenian who personally instigated and led the attacks. Grigoryan, who was convicted for his role in the violence, was later released from prison after being transferred to Armenia. Hajizada also underscored that the 1988 riots were not perpetrated by Azerbaijanis, as claimed by Armenia, but by Armenians themselves.
In response to the Armenian Ministry’s accusations, Hajizada highlighted the stark contrast between the trials and accountability for the Sumgayit events and the lack of legal action taken against those responsible for the mass deportation of around 300,000 Azerbaijanis from Armenia during the late 1980s. He also pointed out that over 200 Azerbaijanis had died during these deportations, yet no legal consequences were imposed on those responsible.
The Azerbaijani spokesperson also referenced Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, particularly in the city of Khojaly, where numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed. He noted that no perpetrators of these crimes had been held legally accountable to date.
Hajizada concluded by reminding the Armenian Foreign Ministry that Azerbaijan had successfully ended Armenia’s military occupation of parts of its internationally recognized sovereign territory, restoring its territorial integrity. He called on Armenia to reflect on its own actions, including crimes committed against Azerbaijanis during its occupation, rather than continuing to make baseless claims.
