Mr. Chairman, a tragic date for our nation is approaching—the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide. Much has already been said and written about it, but we would like you to provide our readers with a detailed account of this tragedy.
The Khojaly genocide is one of the most horrifying crimes committed against the peaceful Azerbaijani population during Armenia’s aggressive war against Azerbaijan. It is important to note that even before this tragic event, during the occupation of Azerbaijani border villages such as Baganis Ayrim in the Gazakh district, as well as Azerbaijani-populated villages in Nagorno-Karabakh—Imarat Garvand, Tug, Selakatin, Akhullu, Khojavend, Jamilly, Nabilar, Meshali, Hasanabad, Karkijahan, Gaybali, Malibeyli, Yukhary and Ashagy Kushchular, as well as Garadaghly—the civilian population was subjected to brutal massacres carried out according to a premeditated plan. It is enough to mention that just days before the Khojaly genocide—on February 17, 1992—hundreds of Azerbaijanis were massacred in the village of Garadaghly (Khojavend). Thus, the Khojaly tragedy became the culmination of these atrocities.
Located 10 kilometers southeast of Khankendi, at a strategically significant position between the Agdam–Shusha and Askeran–Khankendi roads, Khojaly held special importance as it was home to the only airport in Nagorno-Karabakh. By mid-February, the city was completely surrounded by Armenian armed forces, and all attempts by civilians to leave the besieged city were thwarted.
On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Armenian armed formations, in gross violation of all norms of international law, used heavy military equipment against the peaceful population of the besieged Khojaly. Displaying unprecedented cruelty, they barbarically wiped the city off the face of the earth. As a result of this monstrous crime, directed not only against the Azerbaijani people but against all of humanity, 613 innocent Azerbaijani citizens were brutally killed solely because of their ethnic identity. Among them were 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly people. Eight families were completely annihilated, 25 children were left without both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Additionally, 487 civilians suffered severe injuries, while 1,275 people were taken hostage. The fate of 150 hostages, including 68 women and 26 children, remains unknown to this day.
Does the Classification of This Tragedy as Genocide Have Legal Grounds? Our adversaries, seemingly trying to diminish the significance of this event, object specifically to this classification, as if urging us not to exaggerate the scale of the tragedy.
Without a doubt, it is genocide. The nature and scale of the crimes committed in the city of Khojaly fully correspond to the definition outlined in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 260 (III) on December 9, 1948. This premeditated act of mass and merciless killing was carried out with the aim of completely exterminating the people living in this region solely because they were Azerbaijanis.
The frenzied executioners skinned people alive, mutilated their bodies, gouged out the eyes of infants, ripped open the bellies of pregnant women, buried and burned people alive, and even booby-trapped some of the corpses. Those fleeing the burning city were shown no mercy. Peaceful residents fell into ambushes and were brutally murdered by Armenian soldiers on roads and in forests. Can this be called anything other than genocide?
The organizers of the Khojaly genocide, a crime against humanity, were the political and state leadership of the Republic of Armenia at the time, headed by President Levon Ter-Petrosyan. The direct perpetrators included units of the Armenian armed forces, Armenian terrorist groups in Nagorno-Karabakh—led by individuals who later became presidents of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan—as well as personnel from the 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the former Soviet Army, stationed in the city of Khankendi.
Serzh Sargsyan himself admitted to the killings of civilians in Khojaly in an interview for Thomas de Waal’s book Black Garden, stating: “Before Khojaly, Azerbaijanis thought that we were kidding. They thought that Armenians were a people who could not raise their hands to the civilian population. But we were able to overcome this stereotype.”
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, during a speech at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on June 23, 2004, responding to a question from Azerbaijani parliament member Rafael Huseynov, stated that he was proud of his participation in the military operations that took place in and around Nagorno-Karabakh in 1992–1994.
For years, we have mentioned by name the perpetrators responsible for these atrocities. However, it has recently come to light that Armenia’s first president, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, also took pride in his role in the extermination of Azerbaijanis and the ethnic cleansing of our people. In other words, even he could not maintain his image as a “dove of peace”—this was shattered by video footage that surfaced decades later.
Indeed, in January 2025, a video recording of a meeting between former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan and members of the terrorist organization “Yerkrapah”, held on July 23, 1993, was published on YouTube. In this footage, he openly admits that Azerbaijanis were deliberately “cleansed” from Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, presenting this process as the “fulfillment of a 600-year-old Armenian dream.” According to him, this was how Armenians achieved the “national state” they had dreamed of for centuries. This statement is, in fact, a direct admission of ethnic cleansing.
Ter-Petrosyan also claims that the migration of 300,000 Armenians from Azerbaijan to Armenia was the result of the Armenian national movement’s activities. According to him, the goal of this migration was to resolve Armenia’s demographic problem. He further expresses hope that these 300,000 Armenians would soon multiply into one or one and a half million people. This revelation exposes the real motives behind accusations such as “ethnic cleansing” and the so-called “Sumgait massacre,” which have been used for over 30 years as a tool of political pressure against Azerbaijan. In reality, these claims were part of a calculated Armenian strategy aimed at establishing a monoethnic state and occupying Nagorno-Karabakh.
Furthermore, Ter-Petrosyan admits that the strategy of delaying the Karabakh issue for 20–30 years through negotiations and turning it into a “historical conflict” was part of Armenia’s expansionist agenda. It is now clear that the years of fruitless visits by OSCE Minsk Group representatives and its leaders indirectly contributed to the realization of these Armenian expansionist plans.
At the end of his speech, Ter-Petrosyan joyfully announces the capture of the city of Aghdam by Armenian forces—a statement that is met with prolonged, enthusiastic applause from the so-called “elite” of the Armenian nation.
What Measures Has Azerbaijan Taken and Continues to Take for the International Recognition of the Khojaly Genocide?
On February 24, 1994, by a resolution of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, February 26 was declared the Day of the Khojaly Genocide. Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies continue their efforts to identify individuals involved in this crime and bring them to justice. However, despite knowing the names of the organizers and perpetrators of this tragedy, Interpol has not arrested or extradited a single one of them in the past 32 years. The absence of international justice regarding the Khojaly genocide was highlighted by President Ilham Aliyev in an interview with CNN Türk on August 14, 2021: “This is an injustice. We have been living with this injustice for a long time, we are used to it, and we are no longer surprised by it.”
Under the directive of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Khojaly genocide is commemorated annually through large-scale events. In 2017, Baku hosted a nationwide march dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the tragedy. During the procession, demonstrators chanted slogans such as: “The world must recognize the Khojaly genocide!”, “Justice for Khojaly!”, “We will not forget Khojaly!”, “Down with Armenian fascism!”, “Khojaly – the genocide of the 20th century!”, “The criminals will not go unpunished!”
In order to inform the international community about the crimes against humanity committed in Khojaly, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, under the initiative of its Vice President, Leyla Aliyeva, launched the Justice for Khojaly! campaign, which continues to expand each year. As a result of systematic efforts to convey the truth about the tragedy to the global public, the mass killings committed in Khojaly have been recognized as acts of genocide in relevant documents of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as by the parliaments of countries such as Mexico, Pakistan, the Czech Republic, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Honduras, Sudan, and others.
Additionally, the parliaments of Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Jordan, Slovenia, and Scotland, as well as the legislative and executive bodies of over 20 U.S. states, have condemned the Khojaly tragedy, classifying it as a mass killing.
Furthermore, the “Justice for Khojaly!” campaign, spearheaded by Leyla Aliyeva, plays a crucial role in the strategic activities of the Azerbaijani diaspora. Every year, on the anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, diaspora organizations organize various events, including roundtable discussions, conferences, and demonstrations. They also submit petitions to international organizations, the parliaments of major countries, as well as heads of state and governments, demanding recognition of the genocide.
How would you assess the activities of the Azerbaijani diaspora in promoting the issue of international recognition of the Khojaly genocide?
Indeed, our diaspora is actively organizing events worldwide to draw attention to this tragedy. It is impossible to list them all, but some of the largest and most memorable ones include the 2019 pan-European Karabakh rally held at Luxembourg Square in Brussels, the capital of the Kingdom of Belgium, to mark the 27th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide. In 2020, a similar rally took place at Paris Square near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of the tragedy. In February 2022, a rally was held in Washington, the capital of the United States, in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide. In 2023, another pan-European Karabakh rally was held at the famous Heldenplatz Square in Vienna, Austria, in connection with the 31st anniversary of the tragedy.
In addition to Azerbaijanis, these events were attended by local residents and representatives of friendly diaspora communities. Rally participants emphasized that the Khojaly massacre falls under the category of genocide according to UN resolutions and highlighted that 24 U.S. states have already recognized the Khojaly genocide. They stated that Azerbaijan, the global Azerbaijani community, and the Turkic world demand a fair stance from the international community regarding the Khojaly tragedy. The call for “Justice for Khojaly!” was repeatedly voiced during these events.
Additionally, as part of the “History of Azerbaijan” project, organized jointly by the ELTV media group in Canada and the Azerbaijani Center for Arts and Culture “Veten”, a short documentary film was produced, depicting the Khojaly tragedy.
I am convinced that diaspora organizations must continue their efforts to ensure international recognition of the Khojaly genocide. Diaspora activists should publish articles in the media of their respective countries, and Azerbaijani lawyers living in these countries should explain to their societies that the Khojaly tragedy constitutes an act of genocide.
The world must not forget the Khojaly genocide. We demand Justice for Khojaly!
