A hybrid format conference dedicated to March 31, the Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis, was held in Guba at the initiative of the Ombudsman

A hybrid format conference on "Legal aspects of ethnic cleansing and crimes of genocide: historical facts in the context of historical facts", dedicated to the March 31 Genocide Day of Azerbaijanis, was held in the Guba District Heydar Aliyev Center, at the initiative of the Ombudsman, Sabina Aliyeva, and in cooperation with the Guba District Executive Authority and the Western Azerbaijan Community.

The event was attended by the deputies of the Parliament, the management of the Western Azerbaijan Community, scholars in the fields of law and history, representatives of national minorities and NGOs, and mass media outlets.

First, the conference participants visited the monument of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the Guba Genocide Memorial Complex. Later, the exhibition entitled "Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes of Genocide against Azerbaijanis", organized at the initiative of the Ombudsman, was opened.

Opening the conference, Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva expressed her deep respect for the memory of the victims of the March 31 genocide and wished them God's mercy. The dear memories of the genocide victims, our martyrs who have fallen for the independence and territorial integrity of our state, and the memory of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, whose 100th anniversary is celebrated this year, were commemorated with a minute of silence.

S. Aliyeva noted that the March 31 Genocide was committed by Armenian nationalists not only against our people but against humanity, and according to international law, it is the most serious crime directed against peace and humanity.

The Ombudsman said that the National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, signed the Decree "On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis," dated March 26, 1998, according to which March 31 was declared the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis. Furthermore, it has been brought to attention that President Ilham Aliyev signed a relevant decree on the establishment of the Genocide Memorial Complex in Guba city to convey the bloody events committed by Armenian nationalists against the people of Azerbaijan to the world community and to eternalize the dear memory of the genocide victims.

S. Aliyeva highlighted that Armenia continues to commit war crimes against international law, and despite the existence of sufficient proof and evidence, the international community has not shown a fair position in relation to such crimes against mankind.

Then the conference was continued with speeches moderated by S. Aliyeva.

In their speeches, the head of the Guba District Executive Authority, Ziyeddin Aliyev, the chairman of the Western Azerbaijan Community, deputy Aziz Alakbarli, and deputy Vahid Ahmadov informed the participants of the crimes of genocide committed against peaceful civilians in different regions of Azerbaijan in 1918.

Later, the head of the Law Department of the State Administration Academy under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, professor Isakhan Valiyev, head of the Department on the History of the Western Azerbaijan at the Institute of History of ANAS, doctor of philosophy Jabi Bahramov, deputy chairman of the Western Azerbaijan Community, deputy Hikmat Mammadov, head of the department of the Western Azerbaijan Community Mirsalam Bekirli, and the President of the National NGO Forum, Rauf Zeyni, made speeches on the legal and historical aspects of the crime of genocide, the ethnic cleansing and crimes of genocide committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis, the deportation of our compatriots, as well as the role of civil society organizations  in the conveyance of such criminal acts to the international community.

Nimet Özkaya Sevim, deputy chairman of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye, and Yusuf Sayin, Associate professor at Necmeddin Erbakan University of Türkiye, joined the conference in an online format.

At the conference, the representatives of national minorities also delivered speeches.

In the end, the Ombudsman's statement regarding the March 31- Day Genocide of Azerbaijanis was declared. In this statement, the international community was called to support the restoration of justice and the political-legal evaluation of the ethnic cleansing and crimes of genocide committed against our people.

The event continued in the discussion format.