Event dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the 20 January tragedy held at the State Migration Service

The remembrance ceremony on the 30th anniversary of 20 January tragedy has been held at the State Migration Service (SMS).

Firstly, participants of the event were familiarized with the photo exhibition on 20 January tragedy.

Continued at the assembly hall of the Service, the remembrance ceremony was started with a minute of silence observed to commemorate the heroes of our motherland, who sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Speaking at the event, Chief of the State Migration Service, III rank state migration service counsellor Vusal Huseynov gave information about crimes committed 30 years ago on the night of January 19-20, 1990, by military units of the Soviet empire against civilians rising with the desire for freedom and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

V.Huseynov stated that the use of large military units of the Soviet army against the people raised in protest against the treacherous position of the leadership of the republic at that time caused an unprecedented tragedy in Baku. In order to strangle the national liberation movement, to break the faith and will, to humiliate the national dignity of the people, unarmed population was slaughtered, 147 innocent people were killed, 744 people injured. That night patriots and heroes of Azerbaijan who prioritized freedom, honour and dignity of their native land and nation, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs. Nevertheless, intention of the Soviet leadership to strangle the national liberation movement was unsuccessful, our people gained independence. January 20 became the beginning of the road leading to freedom of Azerbaijan.

Service chief brought to the attention that National Leader Heydar Aliyev gave the first political assessment to the 20 January tragedy, gave information on steps taken by the President Ilham Aliyev in the direction of commemoration of martyrs, as well as spoke about his attention and care to families of martyrs. He stated that 20 January tragedy became the symbol of desire for independence and fighting spirit of our people, our independent statehood.

The event ended with the screening of the film “Silahdaşlar (“Comrades”)”, which was prepared by the “Salnamə” documentary film studio and premiered on January 17 at the Nizami Cinema Center.