A memorial ceremony dedicated to 20 January Day of the Nationwide Sorrow has been held in the State Statistical Committee

On January 18 a memorial ceremony dedicated to the 29th anniversary of tragic events of 20 January has been held in the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The memory of the tragedy victims was reminiscent with a minute of silence.

First Deputy Chairman of the State Statistical Committee Vahab Mammadov characterized aggression of former soviet military vehicle against Azerbaijan nation as one of the gravest crimes against humanity and noted that the fight of Azerbaijan nation for freedom and independence is written as a heroic chronicle in the history. He has also noted that the tragedy of Bloody January which civilian population raised the voice for justice against iniquity defending the country was sorely killed by the soviet armies, is the crime committed not only to Azerbaijan nation but also to universal humanism. These events became bloody page of Azerbaijan history and proved once again the faithfulness of our nation to heroic tradition and readiness to sacrifice itself for independence and freedom of the native lands. Vahab Mammadov mentioned that our national leader Heydar Aliyev politically commentated the tragedy of 20 January, he put his life in a real danger and went to permanent representation of Azerbaijan in Moscow, held a press-conference and deprecated this act of terror against civilian population as a violence against rights, democracy and humanity, he boldly stated about treason of the country leadership and exposed the bloody policy of the Soviet system, he demanded the involvement of the perpetrators of the massacre. He emphasized that only after returning of the great leader Heydar Aliyev to power at the request of the people in 1993, the causes and consequences of the events of 20 January were investigated, the tragedy of 20 January was fully politically and legally assessed, names of the tragedy perpetrators were clearly declared. There were noted about high appreciation of the memory of victims of the tragedy of 20 January by the President Ilham Aliyev, component successor of political management of the Great leader, attention and care of martyr families and disabled citizens by the government, setting the solution at the state level the problems of martyr families and persons who lost their health as a main goal.

Rza Allahverdiyev, Head of the Department of Population Statistics, Samir Guliyev, Adviser of the Department of Statistical Works Coordination and Strategic Planning and others noted that the tragedy of 20 January, which has an important place in Azerbaijan history, remained in the memory of our nation as a day of sorrow and honour, they commentated as a crime and direct violation of human rights the 20 January massacre committed by the Soviet empire with extreme atrocity against peaceful protest movement of the people of Azerbaijan to demand their independence.

In the speeches, it was once again reminded that this event caused the most important consequences not only for our country, but also for the whole world, accelerated gaining independence of Azerbaijan and other post-Soviet countries, and the historic statement of the Great leader Heydar Aliyev to USSR leadership at that time, the indispensable determination and dedication demonstrated. The great role of the Great leader in the presentation of the political value of the tragedy was emphasized by the example of the sacrifice and heroism shown by national leader Heydar Aliyev in bringing these bloody events to the world community.

At the end of the event a film about the 20 January tragedy was demonstrated.