President Aliyev Pays Tribute to Khojaly Victims
Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Khojaly memorial in the Khatai district of Baku to mark the 29th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, which Azerbaijan commemorates as the Khojaly genocide.
During the ceremony, President Aliyev laid a wreath at the memorial and paid tribute to the victims. The First Lady placed flowers at the monument in remembrance of those who lost their lives.
Baku Commemorates 29th Anniversary of Khojaly Tragedy
The events being commemorated date back to the night of February 25–26, 1992, in the town of Khojaly in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. According to Azerbaijani official accounts, 613 people were killed during the attack, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly individuals. A total of 487 people were reported severely wounded, among them 76 children. Authorities state that 1,275 residents were taken captive and subjected to torture, while the fate of 197 people remains unknown. Eight families were reported to have been completely wiped out.
Azerbaijan describes the events as a deliberate act targeting civilians on the basis of their ethnicity. The government maintains that the actions constitute genocide under international law and has consistently called for broader international recognition.
Aliyev, First Lady Honor Khojaly Genocide Victims
Following the return to political leadership of the late President Heydar Aliyev, the Khojaly events were given what officials describe as a political and legal assessment. February 26 was officially designated as the “Day of Khojaly Genocide” in Azerbaijan.
In 2008, Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, launched the “Justice for Khojaly” international awareness campaign. The initiative aims to promote global recognition of the events and raise awareness about the victims.
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Azerbaijan Renews Call for Khojaly Recognition
According to Azerbaijani sources, the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has recognized the Khojaly events as genocide. Several national parliaments, including those of Mexico, Pakistan, the Czech Republic, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Honduras, Sudan, Guatemala, and Djibouti, have also adopted resolutions recognizing the events as genocide. In addition, the parliaments of Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Jordan, Slovenia, and Scotland, as well as legislative and executive bodies in 22 U.S. states, have recognized the events as a massacre.
