Remains of 18 people discovered in mass grave in Khojaly Joint statement by Prosecutor General's Office, State Commission

A joint statement by Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office and the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons says that number of people whose remains were found in the mass grave in Khojaly has reached 18.

As earlier reported, an investigation is underway in the center of the liberated city of Khojaly (near the former carpet factory) following the discovery of a mass grave of human remains during excavations carried out as part of comprehensive restoration and reconstruction work. As a result of the expertise of the human remains discovered during the investigative examination of the site, it was determined that they belonged to at least 18 people, four of whom were presumably minors, Caliber.Az reports.

They were subjected to various forms of torture, physical violence and ill-treatment, they were not individually buried according to religious rites, their bodies were not properly preserved for identification, and they were not marked with signs to determine their location.

The Prosecutor General's Office together with the staff of the "Association of Forensic Medical Expertise and Pathological Anatomy" of the Ministry of Health, the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Representative Office in Azerbaijan viewed the scene of the incident and expertise and laboratory tests, as well as other necessary procedural actions, are being carried out in order to establish the identities of the victims based on bone fragments and other relevant circumstances.

At the current stage of forensic genetic analysis, eight people have been identified:

(Residents of Khojaly district)

1. Aghali Naib Aliyev (01.06.1933)
2. Surayya Behbud Aliyeva (01.06.1933)
3. Akif Seydulla Mahmudov (01.06.1962)
4. Khazar Siyavush Salimov (01.09.1974)
5. Tamilla Aghamirza Salimova (01.06.1935)

(Residents of Khankandi city)

6. Ali Musu Javadov (15.06.1954)
7. Bahman Ismayil Ismayilov (01.08.1955)
8. Basira Vali Maharramova (01.06.1954).

According to the investigation materials, all the listed persons disappeared on February 26, 1992 on the territory of Khojaly district.