Azerbaijan Ombudsman Calls for International Recognition of Khojaly Genocide on 34th Anniversary
Khankendi, The Gulf Observer: Sabina Aliyeva, Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan, has issued a statement addressed to international organizations on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide.
The statement was delivered during a commemorative event held at Garabagh University in Khankendi to honor the victims of the tragedy that occurred on February 26, 1992.
In her address, Aliyeva recalled that 613 peaceful and unarmed civilians — including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people — were killed in Khojaly after being subjected to severe torture on the basis of their Azerbaijani ethnicity. She stated that the killings were carried out by the armed forces of Armenia with the direct participation of the former USSR-backed 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment.
According to the statement, the massacre resulted in the complete destruction of eight families. A total of 130 children lost one parent, 25 children lost both parents, and 1,275 civilians — including 68 women and 26 children — were taken captive. She described the events as constituting elements of the crime of genocide and as one of the tragic pages in human history.
Aliyeva emphasized that the acts committed in Khojaly violated numerous international human rights and humanitarian law instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and the Geneva Conventions, among others. She stated that fundamental rights such as the right to life, personal security, property, and freedom from torture were gravely violated.
She noted that the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, at the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, provided the first political and legal assessment of the Khojaly genocide and declared February 26 as the Day of Commemoration of the Khojaly Genocide.
Aliyeva also highlighted the role of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in implementing the “Justice for Khojaly” campaign to raise global awareness and seek legal and political recognition of the tragedy.
Referring to developments following the Patriotic War and subsequent local counter-terrorism operations, she stated that reconstruction efforts are ongoing in liberated territories, including Khojaly, and that residents are returning to their homes. During restoration works, mass graves were reportedly discovered, with remains identified and reburied, which she described as further evidence of war crimes.
The ombudsman added that several individuals accused of participating in the Khojaly genocide and other crimes have been apprehended and are being tried in accordance with national and international legal frameworks.
“I deeply respect the memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide,” Aliyeva said, urging international organizations and the global community to take decisive measures toward the legal recognition of the crime and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
