Azerbaijan University held a commemorative event dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy. The ceremony began with the performance of the National Anthem, followed by a moment of silence in honor of the martyrs of January 20.

During the memorial event, speeches were delivered by Yusif Gasimov, Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs of Azerbaijan University, Vasif Gafarov, a member of the Milli Majlis (Parliament), and Asif Pashayev, dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies.

In his speech, Vice-Rector Yusif Gasimov emphasized that the events of January 20, 1990, played a crucial role not only in the dissolution of the Soviet Union but also in Azerbaijan’s path toward restoring its independence. He highlighted that this tragic event also introduced the people of Azerbaijan to the world as a nation. Therefore, January 20 should not be regarded solely as a day of mourning and tragedy – it is also a significant milestone in Azerbaijan’s struggle for its territorial integrity and national liberation, a Day of National Pride and Honor.

Parliament Member Vasif Gafarov addressed the causes, historical roots, and consequences of the January 20 events. He noted that the events of January 20, written in history as both a bloody tragedy and a symbol of perseverance and invincibility of the Azerbaijani people, were carried out on the basis of a special plan prepared in advance to suppress the protest and resistance of the Azerbaijani people against the attempts of the next deportation of Azerbaijanis from their historical lands in Armenia and the annexation of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, starting from the end of 1987. The Soviet empire, which launched an offensive against unarmed civilians with tanks and other heavy military equipment, committed a national massacre. While it may have achieved a temporary military victory, the events of January 20 ultimately marked its defeat, causing the Soviet regime to lose all political, social, and legal influence in Azerbaijan. After this tragedy, the idea of freedom and independence of Azerbaijan became a nationwide cause, and the struggle for sovereignty culminated in the restoration of Azerbaijan’s state independence in 1991. The Armenian project collapsed when President Ilham Aliyev raised the Azerbaijani flag in the city of Khankendi in October 2023.

Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies, Asif Pashayev, spoke about the information blockade imposed around the atrocities committed by Soviet troops in Baku. He noted that National Leader Heydar Aliyev, despite the strict censorship, traveled to Azerbaijan’s Permanent Mission in Moscow, where he publicly condemned the Baku massacre and made a bold statement exposing the crimes. 

Asif Pashayev also highlighted the role of Shusha Television, the only media outlet at the time that broadcasted the January 20 tragedy, ensuring that the truth was not silenced. Additionally, he acknowledged the sailors of the Caspian Sea Oil Fleet, who played a crucial role in informing the world about the brutal massacre and atrocities committed in Baku.

Public Relations Department