**Statement of the Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “DAYANCH” / Turkmenistan** January 20 is not only a tragic date in the history of Azerbaijan. It is a symbol of what unchecked power, militarized politics, and contempt for human life inevitably lead to. On the night of January 19–20, 1990, units of the former Soviet Army were deployed in the city of Baku. Under the pretext of “restoring order,” a mass crackdown was carried out against peaceful civilians. According to official data, 147 people were killed, hundreds were wounded, and more than 800 were illegally arrested. These events entered history as “Black January” — an act of state violence against its own people. A Crime Without a Statute of Limitations We emphasize: this was not a “tragic incident,” but a gross violation of fundamental human rights, including: the right to life, the right to liberty and security, the right to peaceful protest, the right of a people to self-determination. The use of military force against civilians constitutes a crime under international law, regardless of political context. A Voice That Was Not Silenced The day after the tragedy, Azerbaijan’s National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who was in Moscow at the time, publicly condemned the actions of the Soviet leadership and conveyed the truth to the international community. His statement became an act of political and moral courage. The attempt to break the will of the Azerbaijani people failed. On the contrary, the tragedy of January 20 became one of the key milestones on the path to the restoration of Azerbaijan’s independence. Memory as a Form of Resistance Today, decades later, we see that similar methods — repression, violence, and intimidation — continue to be used against peoples across the post-Soviet space. Turkmenistan, like Azerbaijan in the past, knows what it means to face: state violence, suppression of freedom of expression, transnational repression, enforced disappearances and torture, fear as a tool of governance. Therefore, the memory of Black January is not only Azerbaijani memory. It is the shared memory of all peoples who have lived under dictatorship. Our Position The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “DAYANCH” / Turkmenistan: expresses profound respect for the memory of all those who died on January 20, 1990; emphasizes that crimes against civilians have no statute of limitations; believes that the tragedy of Black January must remain part of the international human rights agenda; sees this day as a symbol of resilience, dignity, and resistance to dictatorship. Our Conclusion The tragedy of January 20 is not only pain. It is a reminder to the world: that freedom is never given for free, that independence is paid for with blood, that silence in the face of crime makes it repeatable. As long as memory remains — responsibility remains.
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