Posted on 01/20/21
On January 20, 1990, Soviet troops entered the capital of the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan – Baku – in order to crack down on the protests calling for Azerbaijani independence. The military intervention resulted in the death of some 170 civilians at the hands of the Soviet army and went down in history as Black January. This tragedy became a pivotal event in the chronicle of contemporary Azerbaijan. Among the peaceful residents of Baku killed in the massacre were three Jews – ER doctor Alexander Markhevka, a 17-year-old Vera Bessantina, and Yan Meerovich who died from sustaining 22 wounds. Experts argue that the government-sanctioned massacre in Baku served as the starting-point of the Soviet Union’s demise.
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On the eve of the 31st anniversary marking this tragedy, Azerbaijan’s Jewish community hosted a charity event. A memorial service was also held in the Ardabil mosque in Quba. Local government officials in Krasnaya Sloboda, including Pisakh Isakov, representative of the religious community of Mountain Jews, Yuri Naftaliyev, chairman of the city council, Yafo Yadadieva, and others, paid their tribute to the victims.
Members of the religious community of Mountain Jews and representatives of the city government distributed food packages provided by the STMEGI International Charitable Foundation to family members of the victims, as well as the underserved and lonely senior citizens.
Members of the community of Mountain Jews expressed their condolences to the Azeri people in connection with the bloody events that occurred on January 20, 1990. They said this is a pain not just for the Azeri people, but for all the ethnic communities living in the country, as well. “We do not set ourselves apart from our Azeri brothers and sisters,” community leaders said.
Israel stands with Azerbaijan in honoring the victims of the Black January tragedy, Israeli Ambassador to Baku George Deek tweeted. “Today I came to the Alley of Martyrs, on behalf of the state of Israel, to honor the memory of those who fell for the freedom of Azerbaijan. All sacrificed some, but some sacrificed all. We stand with Azerbaijan in honoring the victims of Black January,” the Deek wrote.
The January 20 tragedy became a watershed in the history of Azerbaijan, which changed the attitude of the ordinary people toward the Soviet government once and for all. It also became a testament to the fact that Moscow had lost its control over the processes unfolding in the national republics, which led to the ultimate collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.