Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the establishment of the Khojaly Genocide Memorial Complex in the city of Khojaly

During the First Karabakh War (1991–1994), which began with the military aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, Eastern Zangezur and Karabakh were occupied and destroyed by Armenia, severe international crimes were committed against the Azerbaijani people.

The bloodiest chapter of the conflict is the crime of genocide committed on ethnic grounds against the civilian population during the occupation of the city of Khojaly on 26 February 1992.

Approximately 2,500 residents of Khojaly, who had been under blockade by Armenian armed forces for months and deprived of food, electricity, and all external assistance, refused to leave the city despite numerous threats from the enemy. On the night of 25-26 February, after continuous artillery shelling, Armenian armed forces and paramilitary units, with the support of the 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the former Soviet Army, attacked the city and inflicted unprecedented brutality on the civilian population. As a result of this massacre, 613 Azerbaijanis, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people were brutally murdered, 1,275 people were taken hostage, with the fate of 150 of them still unknown. 8 families were completely annihilated, 25 children lost both of their parents, and 130 children lost one of their parents. 487 people, including 76 children, became permanently disabled due to the severe physical and psychological torture they were subjected to.

Despite all the efforts of Armenia, particularly the information blockade it established at that time, the scale and gravity of the crime were highlighted in the reports of the world’s leading media outlets and international organizations. Photo and video materials collected by local and foreign journalists from the city of Khojaly and the surrounding areas after the tragedy, as well as eyewitness testimonies, vividly depict all the horrors of the event. In the final decision of the European Court of Human Rights on the issue in 2010, the actions committed in Khojaly were assessed as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Armenia’s plan to occupy Khojaly was not limited to military objectives, but also aimed to erase the rich historical and cultural traces of the Azerbaijani people in those territories, destroy and falsify the cultural heritage.

Steps to ensure that the Khojaly genocide received its rightful legal assessment, and that the world became aware of such a crime were taken at the national level after the return to power of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev.  By a decision of the Milli Majlis dated 24 February 1994, 26 February was declared Day of Khojaly Genocide and international organizations were informed about this.   

State institutions, our compatriots living abroad, civil society institutions, especially the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, have worked tirelessly to ensure that the Khojaly genocide is not forgotten and recognized by the international community. Within the framework of the “Justice for Khojaly!” awareness-raising campaign, which was launched with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in 2008 to get international recognition for the Khojaly genocide, awareness of the tragedy has been raised in many countries around the world, as well as numerous events, presentations, exhibitions have been held, books and articles have been published.

Thanks to this campaign, the legislative bodies of 18 countries, 24 U.S. states, as well as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Organization of Turkic States recognized and condemned the tragedy that occurred in Khojaly as genocide. Currently, there are 10 monuments erected in foreign countries in memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide.

Thanks to the courage and heroism of the Azerbaijani Army in the 44-day Patriotic War in September-November 2020 and the one-day local anti-terrorist operation in September 2023, our historical lands, including the Khojaly district, were liberated from occupation, and the Azerbaijani Flag was raised in Khojaly on 15 October 2023.

Currently rapid reconstruction and development efforts, as well as the Great Return process, are underway in all territories liberated from occupation.  

Guided by Clause 32 of Article 109 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the aim of ensuring the international recognition of the genocide committed against the Azerbaijani people and the eternal commemoration of the victims of the Khojaly tragedy I hereby resolve as follows:

1. The Khojaly Genocide Memorial Complex shall be established in the city of Khojaly of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

2. For the purpose of establishing the Khojaly Genocide Memorial Complex, 18.3 million (eighteen million three hundred thousand) manats of the amount specified in subparagraph 1.29 of the “Distribution of funds intended for the reconstruction and restoration of the liberated territories in the 2025 state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan” approved by the Order No. 479 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 11 February 2025 shall be allocated to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

3. The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Azerbaijan shall ensure the financing of the amount specified in Section 2 of this Order.

4. The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Special Representation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the in the city of Khankendi, and the Aghdara and Khojaly districts, as well as other relevant state bodies (institutions) shall take necessary measures to resolve the issues of establishing the Genocide Memorial Complex.

5. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan shall resolve the issues arising from this Order.

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 25 February 2025