Azerbaijan Commemorates Martyrs of Bloody January

baku, azerbaijan - 35th anniversary of the Bloody January massacre in Azerbaijan was commemorated with a ceremony.

35th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony

In Azerbaijan, a commemoration ceremony was held for the martyrs of the Bloody January massacre that took place on January 20, 1990.

On the 35th anniversary of the tragedy caused by the entry of the Soviet army into Baku, thousands gathered in Martyrs' Alley for the official ceremony. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the memorial for the martyrs.

Official ceremonies included a minute of traffic stop at 12:00 local time, sounding of sirens and horns by ships and vehicles on the coast of the Caspian Sea, and lowering of flags to half-mast.

Speaking at the event, Azerbaijani citizens paid their respects to the martyrs by placing red carnations on the graves. Orhan Aydinov, one of the attendees, expressed, "This tragedy occurred overnight from January 19 to January 20. May Allah have mercy on all our martyrs."

Ali Ahmedov highlighted the significance of the day for the Azerbaijani people, emphasizing the sacrifices made by martyrs for the nation, flag, and land. Reflecting on the recent 44-day war and the liberation of occupied territories, Ahmedov stated, "We have removed a 30-year-old stain with our Turkish brothers. Today, we commemorate our heroic martyrs with both pride and heavy sorrow. We are an independent country with our territories freed from occupation."

Bloody January Massacre

The tragic events unfolded on January 20, 1990, during Azerbaijan's struggle for independence and territorial integrity against Armenian territorial claims and the acquiescence of the former Soviet Union. The attempt by the USSR army to suppress the protests resulted in a massacre as they responded with military force against the defiant populace. The massacre claimed the lives of 149 individuals, left 744 severely injured, and led to the illegal detention of 400 people.