Azerbaijan Embassy in Hungary observes National Day of Mourning

On January 20, 2025, an event dedicated to the National Day of Mourning was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Hungary. The management of the Azerbaijani House in Budapest and the Azerbaijani-Hungarian Friendship Society, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Hungary took part in the event. 

At the beginning of the event, bouquets of flowers were put in front of the memorial corner created in honor of the victims of the January 20 tragedy, ​​and martyrs were commemorated with a minute of silence, press release said. 

Delivering the opening speech, Ambassador Tahir Taghizade noted that January 20 has an important place in the victorious history of Azerbaijan. Later, the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the National Day of Mourning was presented to the participants. 

Below are the Ombudsman’s thoughts:

THE STATEMENT

by the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding the 35th anniversary of the January 20, 1990 Tragedy

It has been 35 years since the January 20 tragedy – a bloody event that was mercilessly committed against an unarmed population by the former USSR armed forces on the night of January 19 to 20, 1990, in order to suppress the spirit of national freedom and the desire for independence of the people of Azerbaijan.

In order to break the will of our people protesting against the biased attitude of the former USSR leadership towards our country, the deportation of Azerbaijanis from our historical lands, which is now the territory of present-day Armenia, and unfounded territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan, as a result of this heinous crime against humanity, 150 innocent people, including women, children, and the elderly, in Baku and several other districts and cities of our republic were murdered, 744 people were injured, and 841 individuals were unlawfully detained.

That day is not only a heroic chronicle of our people who took to the squares for the sake of freedom but also a historical day when unarmed people, with a desire for freedom, courageously and honorably fought for liberty. Despite the brutal terror act committed against innocent people, the Azerbaijani people succeeded in gaining their independence.