The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, commemorated the cherished memory of the martyrs of January 20 at Martyrs’ Alley.
The Head of State laid a wreath in front of the “Eternal Flame” monument.

The events of January 20 entered the history of the Azerbaijani people as both a tragic and sorrowful, as well as a heroic and courageous page, becoming a symbol of the struggle for independence and freedom and of an unbreakable will.
Thirty-six years ago, the brave sons of Azerbaijan, who placed the freedom, honor, and dignity of their Motherland and people above all else, sacrificed their lives on that bloody night and rose to the вершина of martyrdom. On that day, the Azerbaijani people gave their first martyrs for their freedom and independence. The sons of the Motherland who gave their lives on the road to freedom wrote a historic page in our nation’s heroic chronicle through their unparalleled self-sacrifice. Despite the many years that have passed since the bloody massacre committed by Soviet troops in Azerbaijan, our people have not forgotten the pain and suffering of those terrible days.

The issue of giving a political and legal assessment to the Bloody January tragedy was resolved for the first time thanks to the National Leader Heydar Aliyev. On the morning after the tragedy, January 21, 1990, the Great Leader came to Azerbaijan’s permanent representation in Moscow, declared that he stood with the people, and made a strong statement condemning those who committed this massacre. He declared that this event was contrary to law, democracy, and humanism, and described it as a грубая политическая ошибка. By bringing the tragedy inflicted upon our people to the attention of the world, the National Leader repeatedly stated that the January 20 tragedy occurred as a result of the betrayal of the then leadership of Azerbaijan against its people and that it was a crime. In doing so, he once again demonstrated his courage, bravery, and loyalty as a true son of his nation.

After returning to the Motherland from Moscow in July 1990, on the initiative of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic adopted, for the first time on November 21 of that year, a decision giving a political and legal assessment to the January 20 tragedy. This decision went down in history as a manifestation of the Great Leader’s determination.

Even after Azerbaijan restored its independence, until 1993 none of those in power found the courage to reveal the true truth about the tragedy. Only after the return of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev to the country’s leadership was the real essence of the January 20 events disclosed in the legal sphere. In 1994, the January 20 events were given a full political and legal assessment at the state level, and the names of those who committed the crime were made public. January 20 was declared a National Day of Mourning.

The Azerbaijani people commemorate the victims of the January 20 tragedy with deep respect. The memory of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of our Motherland is always cherished, and their family members and relatives are surrounded by comprehensive state care. Regular measures are implemented to ensure the social protection of the families and disabled victims of January 20. A legislative framework has been created regarding their pension provision, improvement of housing conditions, and raising their living standards.

Today, the souls of the Great Leader and all martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of our country are at peace. Under the leadership of the Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the Azerbaijani Army ended the 30-year longing of our people, liberated our lands from Armenian occupation, and fully restored our sovereignty. Now the tricolor Flag of Azerbaijan proudly flies in all our territories. Large-scale reconstruction and development works are underway in Karabakh and East Zangezur, and the Great Return Program is being successfully implemented.

The complete restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty proves that the blood of all our martyrs, including the victims of the January 20 tragedy, has not been shed in vain.