A commemorative event dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly Genocide was held at the Academy of the State Customs Committee (ASCCA). The event was attended by the Academy’s management, staff members, and students, as well as Shamil Sabiroglu, Chairman of the Public Association for the Promotion of the Khojaly Genocide, a witness to the tragedy and a journalist who has made significant contributions to bringing the Khojaly tragedy to public attention, Aynura Rustamova, a member of the association, Movsumagha Abbasov, a member of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union, editor-in-chief of the 44gunsavash.az website, writer and publicist, as well as direct witnesses of the tragedy and residents of Khojaly, including Khalil Valiyev, a responsible official of the Khojaly District Executive Authority and war veteran; Surkhay Guliyev, a participant in the Khojaly battle, and Huseynagha Guliyev, who voluntarily joined the defense of Khojaly and experienced the horrors of captivity.

The event commenced with the performance of the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan and a one-minute silence in memory of the victims of the Khojaly Genocide and all martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

In his speech, Major General of the Customs Service Gulu Novruzov, Head of the Academy of the State Customs Committee, stated that the Khojaly Genocide was one of the most tragic pages in the history of Azerbaijan. He emphasized that this act of genocide was not only a crime against the Azerbaijani people but also a crime against humanity. It was noted that, following the historic victory achieved under the leadership of the Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, justice was restored for the victims of the genocide, and the Azerbaijani flag was raised in Khojaly.

Then, the guests delivered speeches, recalling the tragic events, the unprecedented atrocities committed against civilians that night, the acts of violence they witnessed during the genocide, and the horrific tortures they experienced during captivity.

A video presentation highlighting the events of the Khojaly tragedy was shown during the event.

The commemorative program continued with a literary composition performed by students of the Academy.