March 31, 2018
An event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the 1918 genocide of Azerbaijanis was held on March 31, 2018, jointly organized by the Ombudsman's Office and Baku State University. Presentation of the book "Azerbaijan as a target of international crimes: legal analysis" by the Dean of the Faculty of Law of Baku State University, Doctor of Law, Professor Amir Aliyev was attended by state and government officials, deputies of the Milli Majlis, heads of higher education institutions and media, legal community, scientists at the event.
The event began with a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the genocide.
Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova spoke about the policy of genocide pursued by Armenian nationalists against Azerbaijanis for hundreds of years. He noted the work done by our state, especially the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, to convey the realities of Azerbaijan to the world community. The Ombudsman spoke about the importance of the book "Azerbaijan in the Target of International Crimes: Legal Analysis", published in Azerbaijani, French, English, Russian and Turkish. He said that the publication of the book in five languages is very important in terms of promoting the crimes committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis throughout the world, giving a political and legal assessment to the issue. The protection of international law, as well as the maintenance of international peace and security, also depends on the fight against international crimes, especially terrorism. However, the interrelationship of terrorism with transnational crime in modern times should not be overlooked. In this regard, the author of the book analyzes the crime of terrorism as an act that threatens international peace and security. He viewed the acts of terrorism of Armenians against Azerbaijanis from three aspects - a violation of the principles of international law, a socially dangerous act associated with international crimes and simply a crime of terrorism.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan Farhad Abdullayev said that the publication of the book today is a great event. This is a very important event for the legal community of Azerbaijan, in general, for all citizens of the country. The Chairman of the Constitutional Court noted that the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev's Decree "On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis" dated March 26, 1998 gave a political and legal assessment to the March 31 genocide. President Ilham Aliyev's order "On the 100th anniversary of the 1918 genocide of Azerbaijanis" allowed us to look at these events once again from a scientific, human and human point of view. The reviewers of the book are very influential people in the field of international law. This, in turn, is a form of conveying injustice to Azerbaijan to the international community.
Farhad Abdullayev said that the book provides a detailed analysis of Azerbaijan's gross injustice in terms of their implementation, despite the facts of gross violations of international humanitarian law by Armenia and the decisions of influential international organizations, as well as certain points in the decisions of the European Court.
Chairman of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Hicran Huseynova said that March 31 - the Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis - is one of the most painful pages in our history. The facts in the historical documents about the massacre committed by Armenians in Azerbaijan in those years prove that Azerbaijanis were brutally killed in Shamakhi, Guba, Mugan, Zangazur district, Karabakh, Iravan province and other parts of the country, cities and villages were looted and destroyed. By a decree signed by national leader Heydar Aliyev in 1998, March 31 is celebrated annually at the state level as the Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis.
Hijran Huseynova stressed the importance of sending the book to Azerbaijani embassies abroad, holding "round tables" in those countries, and placing some of the published materials on the websites of international media. The chairman of the committee stressed that a portal on the March 31 genocide should be created and such scientific works should be placed on that portal.
Chairman of the Council of Elders of Azerbaijan, Deputy of National Assembly Fattah Heydarov, full member of the Ukrainian Academy of Law Oleg Zaychuk, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy and State Building Ali Huseynli, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Associations and Religious Organizations Siyavush Novruzov, Academy of Public Administration under the President of Azerbaijan Professor Elchin Ahmadov, Ukrainian Professor Leonid Timchenko, Professor of Kazan Federal University of the Russian Federation Adel Abdullin, Director of the Institute of State and Law of Kazakhstan, President of the International Law Association of Kazakhstan Aron Salimgerei shared their views on the book. The importance of publishing the book in different languages was emphasized. It was stated that the policy of genocide, ethnic cleansing and deportation carried out by Armenian nationalists and their supporters against Azerbaijanis for more than two centuries was aimed at expelling Azerbaijanis from their historical lands and creating a "Greater Armenia" state in these territories. One of the most horrific bloody tragedies committed by Armenians was the genocide committed against Azerbaijanis on March 31, 1918, which was distinguished by its grave consequences. Today, the fact that there are about a thousand pages of research materials in the archives about the genocide committed in the city of Shamakhi and neighboring villages once again shows the scale of the tragedy. History has proved that the Armenian nationalists did not give up their ugly intentions, brutally massacred peaceful Azerbaijanis, used various means to cover up their crimes and falsified the events.
In conclusion, the author Amir Aliyev said that the main purpose of writing the book "Azerbaijan in the target of international crimes: legal analysis" is to analyze the issues related to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the ideas put forward in the purposeful policy of national leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev. He stressed that the foreign policy of the Azerbaijani state is aimed at establishing the norms of international law: “Therefore, as a lawyer and scientist, I had an important goal. I had to use my knowledge and research in the field of international law in this direction on the basis of research conducted in the Azerbaijani society, all the materials I received from foreign scholars. This is my civic duty. "
The book consists of an introduction, 6 chapters and a conclusion and is published in Azerbaijani, Turkish, French, English and Russian. The author gradually analyzes the historical crimes committed by Armenians against the Azerbaijani people. The book examines the causes of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the crimes committed against our people since the early twentieth century on the basis of historical facts, official documents and archival materials. In particular, the legal documents that provide the basis for the trial of all these crimes under international law were provided to readers, indicating the sources.
