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On February 26, an event dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide was held at the Azerbaijan National Library.

First, the memory of the victims of the Khojaly tragedy and Azerbaijan’s martyrs was honored with a one-minute moment of silence.

Opening the event, Director of the National Library, Professor Karim Tahirov, stated that the Khojaly genocide is a bloody page in the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide carried out against the Azerbaijani people by aggressive Armenian nationalists for more than two centuries, and one of the greatest genocides of the 20th century.

He noted that the Khojaly tragedy is an unprecedented massacre that defies all measure, and despite the passage of 34 years, the pain of this tragedy is still felt as deeply as on the first day. Speaking about the activities carried out within the framework of the “Justice for Khojaly!” campaign under the leadership of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the director highlighted important steps taken to promote wider international recognition of the tragedy and its acknowledgment as an act of genocide.

The professor stated that on the night of February 25, an attack on the city was planned and carried out by Armenian armed forces, Armenian armed groups in Karabakh, and the 366th Motor Rifle Regiment of the former Soviet army. As a result of the attack, 613 civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed, hundreds were seriously injured, and 1,275 people were taken hostage.

Prof. Kərim Tahirov emphasized that, as a result of the political will of National Leader Heydər Əliyev, the truths about Khojaly were first brought to the international arena and given a political and legal assessment as genocide. He added that under the leadership of President İlham Əliyev, Azerbaijan has taken major historic steps toward restoring justice, liberated its territories, and made its rightful voice heard worldwide as a state that has restored justice.

The event continued with the presentation of the electronic database titled “Khojaly Genocide” (https://anl.az/el/emb/Xocali-soyqirimi/index.html).

It was also emphasized that the National Library uses its informational and promotional tools to help reveal the truths about Azerbaijan, inform the world about this grave crime committed against the Azerbaijani people, pass these facts on to future generations, and expand public awareness.

At the end of the event, participants viewed the traditional book exhibition entitled “Khojaly – The Genocide of the 20th Century.”