26 years passed since 20 January tragedy

Baku. 20 January. REPORT.AZ/ 26 years have passed since the events of January 20, 1990, which is the symbol of struggle for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijani people

Report reminds, in 1990, the night of January 19 to 20, the former Soviet military troops attacked to Baku by the land and sea and carried out the punitive measures with unprecedented cruelty. As a result of this accident, 133 innocent civilians including the children, women and the old were killed, 744 wounded and 841 were illegally arrested. The terrorist savagery attack of Soviet army against Azerbaijani people, that carried out by the order of USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev was written in the history of mankind in black letters as one of the worst crimes committed against the humanity.

During the 20 January tragedy, the news was put under a blockade in the country, a power block of radio and television was brutally exploded by armed militants, the media was banned. The aim was to make the people unaware of this terrible tragedy. On those hard days of peoples, on January 21, Heydar Aliyev arrived in Azerbaijan's representation in Moscow and spoke at the meeting. He stated that he is along with his people. He also assessed the 20 January tragedy from political point of view and said that it is the action against democracy and humanism and the rude political mistake made by the leaders of that time's republic. that timeshowed that the way the fault of gross political mistake. The text of this historical speech was widely spread in the country and around the world. The helpless people began to live with the light of trust and hope in their hearts.

In 1993, after the return of the national leader Heydar Aliyev to political power, the important steps were taken in the issues on the investigation of the causes of the outbreak of the January 20 events and the sentence of the offenders. The significant measures were implemented in informing the world community about 20 January tragedy, its place and role in the history of Azerbaijan and the perpetuation of this tragedy.

Milli Mejlis ratified a decision on on March 29, 2004 about the tragic events of January 20, 1990. Thus, as a result of the insistence of President Heydar Aliyev, January 20 tragedy was marked at state-political level and the names of the offenders were openly stated.

Despite of all the troubles, the tragedy took place in January 1990, could not break or weaken the will and the spirit of struggle for the national freedom, in contrary, the people joined a principal fight and won over it.