Azerbaijani ombudsman calls on int'l community to provide legal assessment of Khojaly genocide

Azerbaijani Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) Sabina Aliyeva has said that fundamental human rights, including the right to life, have been grossly violated during the bloody events in Khojaly.

Aliyeva made the remarks on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, Report informs.

The statement says that 32 years have passed since the Khojaly genocide, one of the most heinous crimes against humanity in history, which became evidence of Armenia's policy of hatred and genocide against Azerbaijanis on ethnic grounds.

"On the night of February 25-26, 1992, the town of Khojaly was occupied by the Armenian armed forces with the participation of the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the former Soviet army, local residents were mercilessly killed and the town was wiped off the face of the earth.

During this genocide, fundamental human rights, norms and principles of international humanitarian law were flagrantly violated. Armenians killed 613 civilians, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly people. 1,275 civilians were taken prisoner, the fate of 150 of them is still unknown, 475 Khojaly residents became disabled, 8 families were completely destroyed. 25 children lost both parents, 130 - one of them," the statement said.

It also calls on international organisations and the world community to provide a legal assessment of the Khojaly genocide.