On the night of January 19-20, 1990, by order of the Soviet leadership, 26,000 Soviet soldiers invaded Baku, Sumgait and other cities in Azerbaijan. As a result of this military intervention, 147 civilians were killed and 744 were seriously injured. The event goes down in the history of modern Azerbaijan as "Black January".
Before these events took place, the movement against the Soviet government in Azerbaijan was fueled by Armenia's unfounded territorial claims against Azerbaijan in the late 1980s, the aggressive separatist actions of Armenian radicals in the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of the former Azerbaijani SSR. and support for this illegal activity by the Soviet leadership, as well as the forcible and brutal deportation of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from Armenia. The Soviet army, stationed in the country to prevent the national movement and break the will of the Azerbaijani people for independence, is carrying out a pogrom against the civilian population, violating the provisions of international law and the constitutions of the former USSR and Azerbaijan.
At a press conference at the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan in Moscow, immediately after the tragic events, national leader Heydar Aliyev strongly condemned this atrocity and demanded a political assessment of the mass murder committed among our people, as well as punishment for the perpetrators. At a special session of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) in February 1994, the brutal massacre of innocent people on 20 January 1990 was declared a military aggression and a crime, and as a result of the March 1994 debate, a decision was taken. "On the tragic events that took place in Baku on January 20, 1990." Since then, January 20 has been celebrated as National Day of Mourning.
32 years have passed since the tragedy of January 20, 1990, but this gross violation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international legal instruments, being, in essence and scope, one of the gravest 20th century crime has not yet received international political and legal evaluation. The former Soviet leadership is directly responsible for this crime. According to international law, the events of January 20 must be considered a crime against humanity, and the initiators and perpetrators of this crime must be brought to justice.
Under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, as a result of the 44-day war, the brave Azerbaijani army achieved the territorial integrity of our country and today the Republic of Azerbaijan, in its 31st year of independence, is a reliable and responsible member of the world community.
Strengthening the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is the basis of our statehood and our struggle to constantly uphold these basic principles. We will continue to be determined to respond to all possible threats to the independence and integrity of our country, and all necessary steps will be taken to bring those responsible for various crimes against the people and the state of Azerbaijan to justice.
With deep respect and gratitude we honor the memory of all our heroes who gave their lives for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.
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