By  Trend

The events that took place on the night of January 20, 1990 were aimed at breaking the spirit of the Azerbaijani people and hindering their struggle for independence, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of Azerbaijan’s National Academy of Sciences, MP, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor Govhar Bakhshaliyeva told Trend.

She noted that these tragic events became a heroism page in the history of the Azerbaijani people.

“On that night, the Azerbaijani people rose to fight for their independence and freedom,” she said. “The unarmed Azerbaijani people, confronting the military armed to the teeth, demonstrated selflessness and heroism.”

She stressed that the January 20 tragedy was a planned armed aggression of an empire against the Azerbaijani people.

“Hundreds of people were killed, injured and illegally arrested in those bloody events,” Bakhshaliyeva said.

She added that the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev was beside the Azerbaijani people at that time as well.

“It was thanks to his efforts that the whole world learned about this bloodshed,” said Bakhshaliyeva.

“The Azerbaijani people never forgot and never forgets their heroes,” she said.

January 20 is a day that went down in history of Azerbaijan's fight for independence and territorial integrity.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldn't stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.

Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.