President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their family members attended the opening ceremony of the Khojaly Genocide Memorial in the town of Khojaly on February 26. The head of state laid a wreath at the monument, toured the exhibition halls, and met with representatives of the local community, AZERTAC reported.
The Memorial was established in accordance with a presidential order signed in February 2025 and aims to preserve the memory of the victims, safeguard national remembrance, and convey historical truths to future generations.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ilham Aliyev stated: “The Khojaly genocide is a bloody war crime against humanity, and the Armenian state bears full responsibility for it.” He stressed that on the night of February 25–26, 1992, “more than 600 innocent civilians were brutally killed,” describing the tragedy as “the greatest tragedy of the Azerbaijani people.”
According to the President, the opening of the memorial complex represents a “celebration of justice” achieved after the restoration of the country’s territorial integrity. He also noted that through international efforts and the “Justice for Khojaly!” campaign, around 20 countries have already recognized the Khojaly genocide, adding that the process is ongoing.
Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan today is a strong state, saying: “No one should even think about provocations against us,” and added that “we took our revenge on the battlefield — the blood of all our martyrs has been avenged.”
Following the ceremony, the President signed the Memorial’s guest book.
