March 31 – Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis

102 years have passed since the day of one of the most difficult and tragic moments in the history of the Azerbaijani people - the day when Armenian Dashnaks committed genocide against Azerbaijanis. Between 30 March –  3 April of 1918, armed groups of Armenian Dashnaks carried out genocide against the Azerbaijani people in the city of Baku and adjacent areas of the Baku Governorate, as well as in Shamakhi, Guba, Khachmaz, Lankaran, Hajigabul, Salyan, Zangezur, Karabakh, Nakhchivan and other territories of the country. Inspired by the chimera of the creation of “great Armenia”, the Armenian invaders carried out large-scale massacre against Azerbaijanis.  As a result of the genocide, about 12 thousand Azerbaijanis were killed, while tens of thousands of people remained missing.

After regaining independence, the Decree of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, late President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, “On Genocide against Azerbaijanis” dated at 26 March, 1998, gave political recognition to these events and the fact of the genocide against Azerbaijanis by Armenians was officially declared for the first time. Since then 21 March is annually commemorated as the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis in Azerbaijan.