Azerbaijan's Ombudsman makes statement on 18th anniversary of Khojali Genocide

The statement was addressed to UN Secretary General, UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, High Commissioner for Human Rights, OSCE, the Council of Europe, International and European Ombudsman Institutes, International Peace Bureau, Universal Peace Federation, Asian Ombudsman Association, Azerbaijani embassies and Diasporas in foreign countries.

Azerbaijani people faced terrible disasters in their century-old history. For centuries Armenian nationalists have committed bloody crimes, terrorist acts and genocide actions against Azerbaijani people.

A great number of historical documents prove that hundreds of thousands Azerbaijanis were massacred and deported from their own lands, exposed to ethnic cleansing and genocide by Armenian chauvinists in their historical and ethnic territories, in the Caucasus as far back as 1905-1907, 1918-1920, 1948-1953.

Armenian encroachment on our country since 1988 is the continuation of such a dirty policy.

As a result of aggression and terror policy pursued by Armenians during the last nineteen years, 20 percent of the ancient Azerbaijani lands had been occupied; over 20 thousand people were killed, more than 50 thousand persons were injured and maimed. As a result of the military aggression many Azerbaijani servicemen became prisoners of war, civilians were taken hostage. Over one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs, the economy of the country incurred losses over $ 60 billions. Khojaly tragedy -- the genocide committed by Armenian aggressors against the Azerbaijani people put an end to lives of 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children, 70 old people. 487 people were injured, 275 civilians were taken captive, and 150 persons went missing. As a result of this act of genocide some families were completely exterminated, civilians were killed with unbelievable cruelty, the corpses were mutilated and the captives were subjected to severe torture.

On that horrible night, when innocent children, women and elderly were massacred and a large town was razed to the ground, terrifying tragedy and sheer act of genocide took place in the history of humanity. During the genocide fundamental rights of our compatriots and in particular their rights to life were massively violated.

The sheer fact that these deeds were elaborated in advance and aimed at total or partial extermination of people on the ground of their national origin confirm that these acts constitute a genocide under international and domestic law. This act of vandalism and brutality committed by the Armenian aggressors should be estimated on the same level as Khatin and Songmi tragedies recognized by the good-will mankind as mere genocide. The crime committed against the mankind must receive the recognition it deserves.

Under the international law, genocide is defined as an act committed against peace and humanity and considered to be the gravest international crime. UN General Assembly Resolution 96 (I) of 11 December 1946 reads that genocide, through rejecting the groups’ right to life, degrades human dignity, deprives the mankind of the material and spiritual supports created by human beings. Such odious acts are completely contrary to the spirit and aims of the United Nations. United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by Resolution 260(III) of the UN General Assembly of 9 December 1948 and which entered into force in 1951 provides legal framework of the crime of genocide. The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish.

During Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan all acts defining the crime of genocide as such under this Convention were committed. The terrorist policy pursued by this occupant country is carried out for many years in the face of world community. However under international law, and the principles established by UN and OSCE, inviolability of state borders is to be respected, and trespass to the territorial integrity and sovereignty is impermissible. Notwithstanding adoption of four Resolutions of the UN Security Council calling for unconditional liberation of occupied lands, aggressive Armenia is still unwilling to fulfill these requirements.

“We do hope that the international organizations will back up Azerbaijan’s fair position; Armenian terrorists, who have committed Khojali genocide, as well as their supporters, will be held criminally liable and the competent international organizations will impose sanctions on Armenia”, she said.

/APA/