Commemorative ceremony held in Tallinn due to the 20th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy

Commemorative ceremony was held at “Swisssotel” in Tallinn due to the 20th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy in the framework of the “Justice for Khojaly” campaign, 27 February. The event was organized by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Estonia with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

The event was attended by member of the European Parliament I.Tarand, Chairman of the PACE Monitoring Committee A.Herkel, Chairman of the Estonia-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Group E.Afandiyev, members of the Estonian Parliament, senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, representatives of local nongovernmental organizations working in the field of human rights, Azerbaijan communities and other national societies, local mass media, students of higher educational institutions, heads and officials of diplomatic missions of foreign countries accredited in the country, Azerbaijani MPs F.Muradov and S.Gafarova, Head of the European Office of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora I.Mammadov and the Embassy’s employees.

The event began with a minute of silence Senior Bishop of Estonian-Lutheran Church A.Peter declared to the memory of the Khojaly tragedy victims and a prayer he said for them.

Speaking on behalf of former president of Estonia A.Rüütel, his adviser Y.Kann said the ex president could not attend the ceremony because of health problems and read out his appeal. He conducted a historical parallel between Azerbaijan and Estonia in the struggle towards independence, stressing that Azerbaijan was subjected to aggression by Armenia. Noting the inadmissibility of such crimes as the Khojaly genocide committed against humanity, he talked about the importance of bringing perpetrators to justice.

I.Tarand said crimes such as the Khojaly tragedy are inadmissible in the modern world and expressed hope the perpetrators of this massacre will be punished.

Speaking at the event as a keynote speaker, Chairman of the PACE Monitoring Committee A.Herkel, recalling with satisfaction his visit to Azerbaijan, said Azerbaijan had a rich culture and history and people of Azerbaijan were a great nation. Speaking about the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Daghlig Garabagh conflict, Herkel noted that in the post-Soviet space, only Armenia had encroached on the lands of others. The official said the Estonian people share Azerbaijanis’ feelings about the Khojaly tragedy and noted the resolution of the Daghlig Garabagh conflict was an important factor for the development of the region.

MP F.Muradov delivered report “The Khojaly genocide in international legislation”. He talked of the legal aspects of the genocide and stated the Khojaly tragedy has all the grounds to be recognized as genocide.

MP S.Gafarova underlined children and women victims of military crimes have undergone tortures and the perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide must be punished.

Summing up the event, Ambassador T.Zulfugarov said the crime committed against the humanity is continued until the perpetrators of the Khojaly tragedy stand before the International Tribunal. Thanking the Estonian public for the solidarity with the nation of Azerbaijan, the Ambassador said the Estonian public’s joining the “Justice for Khojaly” international campaign realized on the initiative of Vice President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mrs Leyla Aliyeva is a landmark event showing the high relationship between the two countries.

The event featured film “Justice Call” and exhibition. The participants of the event received materials about the Khojaly genocide prepared by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Local TV channels “Tallinna TV” and “TVN” aired 1-hour film on Azerbaijan on February 25-26.

The ceremony will broadly be covered by the Estonian mass media.