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The events of January 1990 in Baku were a crime against humanity that had been planned in detail and carried out by the leadership of the neighboring country” the Speaker of the Artsakh Republic Parliament Ashot Ghulyan stated on Saturday. Ghulyan’s remarks came at the regular sitting of the inter-parliamentary committee on cooperation between the National Assemblies of Artsakh and Armenia.

Ghulyan reminded that for over a week the Armenian population of Baku was subjected to persecutions, beatings, public mockeries, killings, seizure of property, forcible expulsions and illegal dismissals. The actions were part of the policy to suppress the Artsakh Armenians’ fight for freedom unfolded in 1988 in Sumgait and later in Kirovabad.

“It is sad that 30 years after the tragedy, Azerbaijan continues to avoid responsibility for its past and present the January events under a different light, depicting itself as a victim,” Ghulyan added.

He noted that Armenophobia remains a priority of Azerbaijani state policy and is reflected in all spheres of public life, including in education, science and culture. “Over the past two days we witnessed how an Azerbaijani singer refused to share stage with Armenian soprano, forcing her out of an international music festival. What is this if not a state-sponsored anti-Armenian policy?” said the Speaker of the National Assembly.

In Ghulyan’s words, as before Artsakh will be persistent to hold responsible the perpetrators of the genocide of Armenians in Baku.