Ombudsman held round table dedicated to the 25the anniversary of Khojaly Genocide

Round table dedicated to 25^th anniversary of Khojaly Genocide was held by the Commissioner for Human Rights. The event was attended by head of Khojaly Executive Power, members of the Parliament, governmental bodies, international organizations, NGOs, mass-media and Khojaly residents.

In her speech, E. Suleymanova gave information about Khojaly Genocide, noted before this bloody event, Armenians committed genocide acts in Karkichanan, Malibayli, Gushchular, Garadagli and in other villages during Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

She added the international legal definition of the crime of genocide was determined in the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the Resolution 260 (III) of the UN General Assembly of 9 December 1948. According to E. Suleymanova, the commitment of criminal acts, planned in advance and aimed at mass annihilation of people on the ground of their nationality in Khojaly constitutes this crime as genocide considering the fact that during the aggression against Azerbaijan, all elements of the crime of genocide stated in the mentioned Convention were applied. However, unfortunately, though the commitment of such terrible acts of genocide against the Azerbaijani civilians, all these facts, including Khojaly genocide has not yet get its legal-political assessment by influential international organizations, the planners, organizers and the committers of this crimes were not prosecuted and punished, no action has been taken.

The Commissioner said Parliaments of 14 countries recognized Khojaly genocide within the norms of international law, as well as legislative bodies of 21 States of USA adopted relevant Resolutions.

It was noted the Commissioner’s Statements on Child Rights In the Situation of Conflict and Cultural rights had been submitted to the 34^th session of UN Human Rights Council to be held in March.

Other guests, head of Executive Power of Khojaly, members of the Parliament, writer and journalist Sariyya Muslumgizi, other residents of Khojaly also spoke at the round table.

Moreover, the film dedicated to Khojaly genocide “They will never grow up” books and child art exhibitions on the Genocide were demonstrated during the event.