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“It is important to record all the developments that preceded the operation of Khojaly, and study the reasons that led to the military operation,” Marina Grigoryan, the author of ‘An Ordinary Genocide’ project stated at a discussion on Wednesday entitled ‘Khojaly 28: Counteracting the Azerbaijani propaganda’.

Grigoryan reminded that in 2019 a documentary named “The Besieged” was released telling about human sufferings under Azerbaijani siege in the winter months of 1992.

“The city was entirely under blockade with no possibility to deliver food from surrounding settlements. The residents were trapped by Azerbaijani forces with all essential supplies, including water, electricity, food and medicines virtually cut off. Furthermore, the city was under constant bombardments and shelling from several positions,” Grigoryan reminded, adding the occurred reality virtually endangered the lives of 50 thousand population of the city of Stepanakert as well as 30 thousand refugees who faced physical extinction.

“The operation of liberating Khojaly was aimed at saving the city residents also considering the fact that the only airdrome of Artsakh was in that village and maintained the air connection with Armenia to save the city residents. The operation came as a chance for the residents of Stepanakert and Artsakh, in general, to save their right to live. The Armenian side protected the city population from extermination” Grigoryan explained.

The expert next recalled the project “An Ordinary Genocide” launched in 2009 by the Public Relations and Information Centre of the RA President’s Office.

“I should speak of the role of then Director of the Centre Ara Saghatelyan who led and coordinated all the works in counteracting the Azerbaijani propaganda through production of series of documentaries, websites and books that spread light on those events,” Grigoryan concluded.