Vahagn Karapetyan: "I pray to God asking the Khojaly genocide to be the last in the history of our planet"

These days, the world mourns the victims of the Khojaly tragedy, which became one of the most brutal massacres of civilians during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. During the assault on Khojaly, Armenian nationalist groups killed 613 civilians. However, today there are many people in Armenia and among the Armenian diaspora who condemn the genocide of Azerbaijanis in Khojaly.

“Khojaly is one of the most terrible events not only in the history of Azerbaijan but in the history of all mankind. It is impossible not to shudder while reading about it, watching photographs, realizing that this could happen our days, on the eve of the 21st century, and, unfortunately, noting that my compatriots were involved in this tragedy. No matter who these people are, they are monsters, subhuman. Just as there is no statute of limitations for punishing fascist criminals, so in this case, criminals should be punished no matter how many years have passed since that tragedy. I express sincere condolences to the surviving relatives and all Azerbaijani people. And I pray God asking this tragedy and genocide to be the last in the history of our planet,” editor of the Literary Canada almanac, Vahagn Karapetyan said.

“This is one of the most blatant tragedies of the late 20th century. The death of 613 people, women and children who were shot in their backs while they were passing through a peaceful corridor, cannot leave indifferent any adequate person in the world. Looking at the monuments of Khojaly, the names and surnames of the elderly and children who were killed at that time, I didn’t want to believe that this was done by representatives of my nation. But this is a historical fact, and we have to reckon with this. The statement of President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in connection with this event remains unclear. He repeats all the time that this genocide was aimed at breaking the stereotype that the Armenian people cannot kill women and children. This was a planned act of the then leadership of Armenia, including Serge Sargsyan. Therefore, his statement was some kind of a personal revenge, ” journalist Susan Jaghinyan said.

"I learned about the events in Khojaly in Armenia. I watched the entire video chronicle on the Internet, all those terrible photos. This is the grief not only of the Azerbaijani people, this is the grief of the whole world because to allow such a thing to happen at the end of the 20th century is horrible. I’m ashamed that such people rule my country, but I hope that in the near future, they will all appear before the international tribunal. Those people are Robert Kocharian, Serzh Sargsyan, Seyran Ohanyan, Seyran Saroyan, Manvel Grigoryan. I offer sincere condolences to the people of Azerbaijan on the anniversary of the genocide in Khojaly,” Armenian citizen Sergey Dzhulakyan said.

"The organizers of the Khojaly tragedy, the Khojaly genocide, which claimed the lives of 613 people, are those who organized the Karabakh war. [Sergey Sargsyan] has no right to speak on behalf of Armenians. His statement (Azerbaijanis thought that Armenians would not hurt civilian population. It was necessary to change such assurance,” Sregh Sargsyan said in an interview with Thomas de Waal, Ed.), just like Robert Kocharian’s statement about the genetic incompatibility of Armenians and Azerbaijanis, in my opinion, gives every right to the International Court of Justice to persecute them for agitating fascism. Naturally, the time will come, I am sure, very soon, they will be punished. It is sad, that these people are or were the first persons of the state. This is a tragedy, one of the most, if not the most tragic event in the entire Karabakh conflict. My condolences to the Azerbaijani people," Armenian human rights activist Vahan Martirosyan said.