AzerGold hosts a photo exhibition devoted to the 33rd anniversary of January 20 tragedy.

AzerGold hosted a photo exhibition devoted to the 33rd anniversary of January 20.

The staff members of the Company and its subsidiary Dashkasan Iron Ore LLC visited the exhibition, compiled from archive images of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC).

The event began with a minute of silence in memory of martyrs who died for the independence and territorial integrity of our country.

Zakir Ibrahimov, the Chairman of the Executive Board of AzerGold, noted that January 20 tragedy is a heroic and honorable page in the history of our nation from the point of struggle for the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Reminding the incident which happened 33 years ago on the night of January 19-20, the Chairman of the Board stated that in the years when this bloody tragedy, one of the most serious crimes against humanity, was committed with the aim of silencing our people who had protested against Armenia’s territorial claims against our country.

The Chairman emphasized that nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev was the first who demonstrated his solidarity with the Azerbaijani people and spoke out against this illegal, anti-democratic, contrary to humanism act of the Soviet government. Thus, on January 21, 1990, despite the ban, the great leader went to the permanent representation of Azerbaijan in Moscow, risking his and his family members’ lives and spoke to the world community with a sharp criticism against the perpetrators of the bloody tragedy. With the return of nationwide leader Haydar Aliyev to the leadership, the bloody January tragedy of 1990 was given full political and legal assessment.

Zakir Ibrahimov also added that on January 19, the news was put under a blockade in the country, a power block of radio and television was brutally exploded by armed militants, the media was banned. The aim was to make the people unaware of this terrible tragedy. Although the aggressors tried to hide the crime they committed, thanks to the dedication of the press, the world became aware of the terrible massacre. Journalists of Azerbaijan State Information Agency were also among those media members. They risked their lives and managed to convey the real truth to the world community with the photos from the hot spots.

Later, the participants got acquainted with the exhibition made of photos taken during those events. The staff members were also given detailed information about the archival photos which were shown for the first time to a wide audience.

Notably, the exhibition will continue until January 23.