Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Pogroms in Sumgait, Baku and Kirovabad (28/02)

February 28 at the state level in Armenia was proclaimed the Day of Remembrance of Armenians killed as a result of the Azerbaijani pogroms, as well as the Day of Protection of the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons from Azerbaijan.

This mournful date was set in memory of the events that occurred in February 1988, when more than 50 people were killed and several thousand were injured of varying degrees of severity as a result of Azerbaijani-Armenian clashes.

Pogroms, beatings and murders of Armenians in Sumgait, located half an hour's drive from Baku, were carried out in broad daylight in full view of a large number of observers and passers-by. The peak of these crimes occurred on February 26—29, 1988.

The rioters broke into apartments (having in their hands pre-compiled lists of Armenians living there), armed with rods and stones. Axes, bottles and cans of gasoline were also used.

As a result of —, at least 53 dead people (death certificates and facts of beatings were recorded), some of whom were burned alive, as well as thousands of wounded, disabled and refugees.

The pogroms at the end of February 1988 marked a turning point in the development of the Karabakh conflict. Its consequence was the mass resettlement of Sumgait Armenians to Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Russia. Therefore, February 28 in Armenia — is also the day of protecting the rights of internally displaced persons from Azerbaijan.

Today, February 28 — is an important date in the history of the Armenian people, when commemorative events are being held throughout the country in memory of everyone who died during the Azerbaijani-Armenian clashes, so that a similar tragedy does not happen again in the future.

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