The Ombudsman Office hosted a commemorative event regarding the 34th anniversary of the January 20 Tragedy

A commemorative event dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy was held at the Ombudsman Office of Azerbaijan.

At the event, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the martyrs who had fallen for the independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of our state.

During her speech at the event, Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva spoke about the history of the January 20 events and emphasized that these acts constitute one of the most horrific crimes committed against humanity.

She noted that on January 21, 1990, putting himself and his family at risk, Heydar Aliyev, the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, came to the permanent mission of Azerbaijan in Moscow to strongly protest against the invasion, and that after the second return of Heydar Aliyev to power, he expressed the government's legal opinion on this matter at the state level.

The Ombudsman spoke about the importance of establishing a legal evaluation of the January 20 tragedy, holding people responsible for these crimes accountable, and ensuring they receive appropriate punishments.

S.Aliyeva underlined that it is necessary to continue activities to convey the facts about the January 20 tragedy to the world community. She also said that a statement concerning the 34th anniversary of the January 20 events was addressed to the international community.

The Ombudsman noted that as a result of the successful implementation of local anti-terrorism measures in September 2023, individuals who committed January 20 events will also be held accountable, and the perpetrators will receive appropriate punishments, just as those who committed war crimes against Azerbaijanis and severely violated the norms and principles of international law and humanitarian law were held accountable before the courts. 

During the event, the Chief of the Ombudsman Office, Aydin Safikhanli, and several employees shared their thoughts and memories on the topic.