Statements
31 March 2024, 13:10
Armenia still enjoys impunity for its acts of genocide against Azerbaijanis
Today, March 31, is the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis. This date is the anniversary of the massacre of Azerbaijanis by Armenian Dashnak and Bolshevik armed groups in the city of Baku on March 31, 1918, which is merely one of the many acts of genocide committed by Armenia and Armenian armed formations against Azerbaijanis. This day is not only a day of sorrow but also a reminder to humanity that those who committed these crimes remain unpunished.
As stated in the Decree "On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis" signed by National Leader Heydar Aliyev on March 26, 1998, the genocide against Azerbaijanis has been carried out over centuries with the primary aim of seizing historical Azerbaijani territories.
The genocide against the Azerbaijani people by Armenia and Armenian armed groups was systematically perpetrated in nearly all parts of historic Azerbaijani lands on the basis of a racist ideology promoting ethnic hatred.
Starting from 1905, the acts of genocide intensified and took an overt form, being particularly merciless in the western part of Azerbaijan. From 1918 to 1920, the Armenian army committed mass killings and ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in various regions, including Irevan, Zangezur, Goycha, Daralayaz, Surmali, Sharur, and others. As a result, Azerbaijanis became an ethnic minority by 1921 in the Iravan governorate where they once constituted over 80% of the population. Subsequent ethnic cleansing campaigns during 1948-52 and 1987-91 completely expelled them from the area, with no Azerbaijanis remaining in what is now called Armenia. The Government of Armenia destroyed all Azerbaijani cultural heritage there.
The massacre committed by the Armenian extremist nationalist "Dashnaktsutyun" party's armed wing on March 31, 1918, in Baku represents a horrific event embodying the genocide against our people on historical Azerbaijani lands before and after that date.
In flagrant violation of its international obligations, Armenia continues its racist policies, hindering the safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis to their homes, glorifying individuals like Garegin Nzhdeh, Andranik Ozanyan, Drastamat Kanayan, and Monte Melkonian, who committed crimes against humanity and war crimes against Azerbaijanis, and promoting racist ideologies like Nzhdehism at the state level.
We demand that Armenia acknowledges its responsibility for the genocide crimes and takes necessary steps for reconciliation. Armenia has to facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced Azerbaijanis, restore the destroyed Azerbaijani cultural heritage, cease its policy and practice of instigating hatred and discrimination against Azerbaijanis, surrender those who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity to court of justice, immediately cease glorifying such individuals, dismantle monuments erected in honor of military and political figures and terrorists who participated in crimes against Azerbaijanis, and annul the changes made to place names.
