Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsperson) Elmira Suleymanova has issued a statement regarding the 28th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, the Ombudsman's Office told APA on Jan. 12.
On the night of January 19 to 20, 1990, the Soviet Army troops, in contravention of international law and relevant provisions of the constitutions of the former USSR and Azerbaijan SSR, suddenly entered Baku and Sumgayit, as well as many other cities and districts of Azerbaijan, and shelled civilians from tanks and other military equipment, reads the statement.
“The armed forces, which burst into Baku, killed 147 civilians regardless of nationality, age and gender, 744 civilians and innocent people were wounded in the capital, settlements and districts, hundreds went missing and 841 people were arrested illegally. Soldiers attacked even the ambulances and medical servants who came to help the wounded, they were also killed and wounded. Even after declaring a state of emergency on 20 January, 21 more people were killed,” the statement says.
The statement has been sent to the UN Secretary General, UN Security Council, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, European Commission, OSCE, Council of Europe, Institute of International and European Ombudsmen, Asian Ombudsman Association, International Peace Bureau, human rights commissioners of various countries, Azerbaijan’s diplomatic missions abroad, diplomatic missions of foreign countries in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations.
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