Azerbaijan pays tribute to January 20 victims with nationwide moment of silence

At noon today, Azerbaijan observed a nationwide minute of silence to mark the 36th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, paying tribute to the martyrs of those events.

According to domestic media, the commemoration was observed across the country. Ships anchored in Baku Bay sounded their horns, traffic came to a halt as vehicles signalled in unison, and metro trains also gave warning sounds, creating a moment of collective remembrance for the victims of the bloodshed.

The January 20 tragedy refers to the night of January 19–20, 1990, when the Soviet leadership, in a gross violation of international law and the legislation then in force, imposed a state of emergency in Baku without prior notice to the population. A large-scale military operation followed, involving units of the Soviet Army, special-purpose forces, internal troops, and reserve servicemen brought in from various regions of the USSR, including areas with compact Armenian populations.

As a result of this operation, a violent crackdown was carried out against civilians. Hundreds of people were killed, wounded, or went missing, leaving a lasting scar on Azerbaijan’s modern history.

By Tamilla Hasanova