On the night of January 19-20, 1990, military units of the former Soviet army committed an unprecedented massacre against the civilian population in Baku who had risen up to establish an independent state and gain their sovereignty. This bloody crime could not extinguish the people's love of freedom, and our people, albeit at the cost of their lives, gained their state independence.
This crime committed against the Azerbaijani people is, in fact, a terrible terrorist act against humanity, humanism, and humanity. In this tragedy, 147 Azerbaijani citizens were martyred, 638 people were injured and traumatized, and 841 people were illegally arrested, resulting in a gross violation of many international human rights documents, including the requirements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
After the January 20 events in Baku, the national leader Heydar Aliyev, who came to the permanent representation of Azerbaijan in Moscow, sharply condemned this brutality at a press conference, calling the terror committed against the people a blatant act against law, democracy, and humanity. The fact that the Great Leader made such a statement at a time when the Soviet empire still existed once again proved that only great personalities take great steps in politics.
The January 20 tragedy, which has become a symbol of national unity and patriotism, is a glorious history of our people's struggle for their freedom. Every year, on the anniversary of the tragedy, millions of people visit the Alley of Martyrs, built at the highest point of the capital, and commemorate their heroes. As we deeply honor the memory of the martyrs, these thoughts of our national leader Heydar Aliyev come to mind once again: "Those who died in the January 20 tragedy are national heroes, they are the heroes of our nation. Their death is a great loss for us, for our people. However, at the same time, their martyrdom is a symbol of the heroism of our people. Their shed blood is the blood of all our people. Every drop of that blood contains the power and heroism of our people, our people have dreams of national freedom and independence. The blood shed that night is the blood on our national flag that demonstrates the independence of Azerbaijan."