February 26, 2023 is 31 years anniversary of Khojaly Massacre took place in Azerbaijan.

During this cruel massacre, hundreds of innocent Azerbaijanis living in Khojaly District in Karabakh Region, including children and (pregnant) women, were brutally murdered by Armenians. This tragedy is also known as the Khojaly Massacre.

The city of Khojaly was attacked in the middle of the night on February 26, 1992. The residents of Khojaly who were forced to flee by the unexpected attack, were stopped by armed soldiers on the humanitarian corridor they were given and killed mercilessly.
This bloody crime of the Armenians was an unprecedented massacre in history against Azerbaijanis. 

The tragic consequences of the occupation of Khojaly are as follows: 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly people were killed: 8 families were totally exterminated; 25 children lost both parents; 130 children lost a parent; 60 people were killed with great brutality; 487 people became disabled; 1,275 people were taken hostage; the fate of 155 people is still unknown after 30 years; 280 bodies could not be buried.   
 
The Khojaly genocide, or as mentioned in this document – Khojaly Massacre, the indiscriminate killing of the civilian population, was part of the policy of ethnic hatred, racial discrimination and systematic violence carried out by Armenia against Azerbaijan for many years at the state level.      

Today, the Khojaly Massacre is recognised as a Genocide by many countries such as Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Peru, Pakistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Sudan, Jordan, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama and Djibouti. This is in accordance with international law.           

In the U.S.A, more than 20 states have signed motions and/or resolutions in support of the Khojaly Massacre. Unfortunately, the Netherlands has not shown any interest or attempt to recognise this horrifying event as Massacre or Genocide.       
 
We regret to mention that despite our repeated requests to the Dutch Parliament to discuss a possibility of recognition of the Khojaly Massacre as Genocide have never taken place.          
 
That is why we ask once again the Dutch Parliament to pay attention to this Massacre in Parliament and bring it into discussion.  We kindly request to conduct an in-depth research or a a legal assessment on the Khojaly genocide.

Giving an official attention to this massacre and recognising pain of the victims and survivors, can only soften pain and create more space to reduce polarisation we experience and create more effective community integration into the Dutch Society.

Many Azerbaijanis living in The Netherlands as well as worldwide, have been in one- or another-way victim of the Karabakh war for decades. We engrave the victims of the Khojaly tragedy in our national memory and honor their reminiscence.

Thus, we kindly request that the Dutch government to recognise the massacre events of 26 February 1992, as genocide and as a remembrance day for Azerbaijani Community in The Netherlands.  

We would like to be voice of Khojaly Massacre Victims and ask you kindly create for us a space where we feel heard and seen as part of the Dutch society.           
 
We do not seek revenge! Azerbaijanis lives matter. We ask for recognition and justice for Khojaly victims and survivors!

More about Khojaly Massacre please visit following website:

English: https://justiceforkhojaly.org 
Dutch: https://justiceforkhojaly.nl 

 
Respectfully yours,
 
TogetherStrong Foundation