Estonian Parliament voices strong condemnation of Khojaly massacre on its 33rd anniversary

The Estonia-Azerbaijan interparliamentary friendship group at the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) has expressed condolences to the Azerbaijani people on the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly massacre.

"We share the pain of the Azerbaijani people over the Khojaly genocide, in which over 600 innocent civilians were killed, including many children, women and the elderly," the parliamentary group members said in a joint statement, the Azerbaijani embassy in Estonia told Caliber.Az.

"We strongly condemn the crimes against humanity committed against Azerbaijani civilians during the occupation of Khojaly on the night of 25-26 February 1992. The perpetrators of this mass murder must be held accountable. We affirm that all countries in the region have the right to sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the inviolability of internationally recognized borders. We express our support for the Republic of Azerbaijan in establishing lasting peace, integration and reconstruction on its territory," the parliamentary group members added.

Chairperson of the Estonia - Azerbaijan parliamentary group Riina Solman, vice- chairperson Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski, the group members Jaak Aab, Vadim Belobrovtsev, Züleyxa Izmailova, Aleksei Jevgrafov, Ester Karuse, Toomas Kivimägi, Aivar Kokk, Anastassia Kovalnko-Kõlvart, Lauri Laats, Andres Metsoja, Eduard Odinets, Heljo Pikhof, Juku-Kalle Raid, Urmas Reinsalu, Aivar Sõerd and Hendrik Johannes Terras signed the statement. 

The Khojaly genocide is the gravest crime committed against peaceful Azerbaijani people in the course of Armenia’s aggressive war against Azerbaijan. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, in violation of all international legal norms, Armenian armed forces attacked the civilian population of the sieged town of Khojaly with heavy military equipment, killing them with unprecedented brutality and razing the town to the ground. As a result of crime against not only the people of Azerbaijan but against humanity, 613 civilian Azerbaijanis, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 elders were brutally murdered on grounds of national identity. The Khojaly genocide is one of a series of acts of mass slaughter aiming to crush those who rose up for the defence of their lands from Armenian armed forces’ aggression.

By Naila Huseynova