Tragic events of "Black January"

The tragic events of January 20, 1990, when Soviet troops intervened in
the multiethnic city of Baku, following the orders of Mikhail Gorbachev, are still
waiting to be researched by historians, military experts and politicians.

Leading figures of the Azerbaijani Diaspora participated in the ceremony to
commemorate the tragic events. The ceremony was held at the Embassy of
Azerbaijan in the Russian Federation. The participants of the ceremony
announced their desire to open a criminal case against Gorbachev. The
ceremony was attended by a number of foreign diplomats, including the
Ambassador of Turkey to Moscow, Aydin Sezgin, and citizens of Azerbaijan.
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia, Polat Bulbuloglu, said that the
tragedy of January 20 will never be forgotten. He said that the primary
responsibility for this tragedy lies with the former Soviet leader, Mikhail
Gorbachev.

The head of the Center for Caucasian Russian Studies at the State Humanitarian
University, Ismail Agakishiev, said at the ceremony: "This tragedy was
caused by Gorbachev. It was he who shed this blood. Gorbachev has to answer
for it before Azerbaijan. He must also answer for the mass killings
in Georgia and the Baltic countries."

On the night of January 20, 1990, Soviet troops opened fire on
protesters who were carrying out a march for independence on the streets of Baku.
As a result 137 people were killed and more than 700 injured.