Azerbaijan marks National Revival Day

Today is the National Revival Day of Azerbaijan, Report informs.

The holiday was declared on November 17, 1992, and is related to the national liberation movement started in Baku in November- December of 1988.

At that time, the policy of Soviet leadership over the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh resulted in an anti-Soviet movement. On November 17, 1988, people gathered in the main square Azadlig (Liberty, formerly Lenin) of the city and protested against Moscow's policy. Thousands of people opposed the policy. Attempts of USSR troops to stop protesters failed.

The Azerbaijani Popular Front (APF) was established in June 1989. The adoption of the Constitutional Act on the sovereignty by the Supreme Council in September irritated Moscow's leadership, and they sent military troops to Azerbaijan on January 19 and 20, 1990. Heavy equipment and firearms were used against the protesters. Hundreds of protesters and civilians were severely killed. However, it only accelerated the liberation movement. Most deputies of APF were elected in Supreme Council in elections held in 1990 and established the Democratic Bloc faction.

The restoration of state independence of Azerbaijan was declared on October 18, 1991. The Popular Front came to power in May 1992. In a short period, Soviet troops withdrew from Azerbaijan.