...::: Khojaly.org.az :::...

Khojaly

…Since autumn of 1991 Khojaly has been practically blocked by Armenian armed formations and after withdrawal of internal troops from Nagorno Karabakh, full blockade of Khojaly was imposed. Beginning from January, 1992 electrical energy transfer to Khojaly was stopped. Part of inhabitants left blocked city, however, despite insistent requests of head of executive power of Khojaly city E.Mamedov, total evacuation of peaceful population was not organized.
On February, 25 Armenian armed formations began assault of Khojaly.

Participants of assault

…Units of Artsakh National Liberation Army participated in the assault using armored equipment - armored troop-carriers, combat infantry cars and tanks.

Course of assault

Artillery firing of Khojaly began about 11 p.m. on February, 25. Barracks located in housing estate and outposts were destroyed first of all. Entering of infantry units into the city took place from 1 a.m. till 4 a.m. in the morning on February,26.
…The last resistance was broken by 7 a.m. in the morning.
…As a result of firing of the city unknown number of peaceful inhabitants was killed on the territory of Khojaly during the assault.

The “free corridor” for population leaving

…60 people fled from Khojaly during the city assault were questioned by “Memorial” observers in Aghdam and Baku. Only one man of all questioned people said that he knew about existence of “free corridor”. …These refugees proceeded along the “free corridor” situated on the territory adjoined to Aghdam district of Azerbaijan were fired, that resulted in death of many people.

Fate of the inhabitants who stayed in the city

After the occupation of the city by Armenian armed formations about 300 peaceful inhabitants including 86 Turks-Meskhets were in the city. … According to information received from both sides over 700 captive inhabitants of Khojaly took as hostages in the city and on the way to Aghdam were passed to Azerbaijani side by March, 23 1992. Among them were mainly women and children.

Fate of property of Khojaly inhabitants

Inhabitants of Khojaly who could fled had no possibility to take with them even the most necessary part of their property. The inhabitants who were taken as captives by members of Armenian armed formations also had no possibility to take the part of their property.
Observers from “Memorial” Human Rights Watch Center became witnesses of active unlimited marauding in the occupied city. The property left by Khojaly inhabitants got out from the city by inhabitants of Khankendi (Stepanakert) and neighbouring settlements. The names of new owners were written on the gates of the most of houses.

Estimation of findings

Mass violence against peaceful population of Khojaly city took place during implementation the of military operation on the occupation of the city. …The majority of Khodjali inhabitants were not informed about existence of the “free corridor”. …Mass murders of peaceful inhabitants in the zone of the “free corridor” and adjacent territory can not be justified by any circumstances. …Servicemen of infantry guards regiment No 366 belonged to Commonwealth of Independent States troops have participated in Khojaly assault.

"Memorial" Human Rights Watch Center establishes that actions of Armenian armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh towards Khojaly peaceful inhabitants during the assault of Khojaly city roughly violate Geneva conventions as well as the following articles of Human Rights Declaration (adopted by UN General Assembly on December, 10 1948):

Article 2, declaring that “every person must have all rights and all freedoms, declared by this declaration without any distinction of…language, religion, national…origin, … or any other position”;
Article 3, admitting rights of every person to life, freedom and personal immunity;
Article 5, forbidding brutal, inhuman or humiliate treatment of person;
Article 9, forbidding arbitrary arrests, detention or expatriation;
Article 17, declaring right of every person to have property and forbidding to deprive arbitrary the person of his property.

Actions of armed formations roughly violated Declaration on protection of women and children in emergency and during armed conflicts (declared by UN General Assembly on December, 14 1974)".

Source: http://www.president.az