Press-release 20 January - Day of Nationwide Sorrow in Azerbaijan

Thirty one year has passed since January 20, 1990 events, which went down the

history   of  Azerbaijani people as Bloody January tragedy.

Since 1988, the Armenians increased their activities to break off the Nagorno Karabakh region from Azerbaijan, and in December 1989, the Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Republic decided to annex Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia.

Azerbaijan reacted to the decision with demonstrations held in Baku with hundreds of thousands of people. The people of Azerbaijan flocked to Azadliq (Independence) Square in Baku to protest the Soviet government and the Armenians' increasing demands for land.

Continuing demonstrations disturbed the Soviet Leadership and a decision was made to deploy an army in Baku. The Soviet army entered the city by shooting the unarmed civilians who tried to stop them. Tanks and heavy armored vehicles were driven over people, while fire was opened at ambulances and passenger buses. That night, 130 civilians lost their lives in Baku.

The Soviet army continued its massacre in other cities such as Neftchala and Lankaran in the southern parts of the country, and a total of 147 Azerbaijani civilians became victims of the Jan. 20 massacre.

Some 744 people were injured in the incidents, and about 800 people were detained by the Soviet army.

Although the state of emergency was declared by the Soviet administration in Baku, and the city was completely controlled by the Soviet army, people went out to the streets again to bury the martyrs.

Immediately after the tragedy, on January 21, 1990, national leader Heydar Aliyev visited  the office of Azerbaijan`s permanent representation in Moscow. He expressed solidarity with his people, sharply condemned the Soviet leadership for committing the bloody tragedy and exposed those who led the operation: “I consider the events that took place in Azerbaijan as a violation of law, democracy, and of humanity... and the principles of constitutional state building... Had necessary measures been taken by the top party leadership at the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh events, we would not have faced escalated tensions that led to the deadly military assault launched on civilians on the night of 19 - 20 January 1990. Everyone involved in this crime must be appropriately punished.”

January 1990 massacre is failed to crush the will of the Azerbaijani people, its aspiration to struggle for national liberation. Those who were killed at that terrible night have written a brightest page in history of Azerbaijan, and paved the way to national liberation and independence of the people.

One of the highest points in Baku is the place, which became sacred for every Azerbaijani. It is the Alley of Martyrs, where victims of the 20 January tragedy, and those who died in the battles against the Armenian aggression were buried.