Black January: Tragedy, Dignity, and the Unity of the Azerbaijani Nation

By Veritas Temeliketi, Political Analyst

In the long and complex history of Azerbaijan, few dates carry the emotional and moral weight of January 20, 1990. Known as Black January, it stands as one of the most tragic yet dignified moments in the country’s modern journey. It was a night of violence and loss, but also a moment when national honor, unity, and resolve were etched permanently into collective memory.

For African readers, the story of Black January feels familiar. It echoes moments across the continent when ordinary people, demanding dignity and self-determination, were met with overwhelming force. Like many African nations, Azerbaijan’s path to independence was shaped not only by political negotiations, but by sacrifice, resistance, and an unbreakable belief in freedom.

In January 1990, peaceful demonstrations calling for justice, sovereignty, and national dignity filled the streets of Baku and other cities. The response came swiftly and brutally. More than 66,000 troops of the Soviet military and security structures were deployed. Tanks rolled into residential neighborhoods. Civilians were shot. Ambulances were attacked. Homes, vehicles, and public infrastructure were destroyed.

There was not warning even. Despite international legal obligations, the population was not informed of the imposition of a state of emergency until after the bloodshed had occurred. Only at 5:30 a.m. on January 20 did radio broadcasts announce the decree, by which time more than 140 civilians had already been killed and hundreds wounded or detained.

“Black January was an attempt to break the spirit of a people,” says Ruslan Nasibov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Federal Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union. “But  that violence against our people only strengthened rather the struggle for freedom.”

The events of January 20 became a moment of awakening. Any remaining belief in the Soviet system collapsed overnight. The national liberation movement took on an irreversible character, and the idea of independence moved from aspiration to necessity. For Azerbaijanis living abroad, it was also the first time many organized collectively to seek international recognition of their people’s suffering.

In moments of crisis, leadership matters. One day after the massacre, National Leader Heydar Aliyev publicly condemned the killings, calling them a crime against the Azerbaijani people. At a time when such a stance carried serious personal risk, his words provided moral clarity and helped frame Black January as a historic injustice rather than an internal disturbance.

This moral position later shaped political accountability. In 1990, the first political and legal assessment of the tragedy was adopted in Nakhchivan Autonomy of Azerbaijan, being led at that time by National Leader Heydar Aliyev. In 1994, the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan issued a state level assessment, formally recognizing January 20 as a crime and as a defining milestone on the road to independence.

For African audiences, this process of truth telling and legal recognition resonates deeply. Across Africa, many nations have learned that reconciliation and progress require acknowledging past violence, honoring victims, and placing historical truth at the center of national memory.

Every year, January 20 is observed in Azerbaijan as a day of national mourning. Public life slows. Flags are lowered. Citizens walk silently to the Alley of Martyrs in Baku, where the Eternal Flame burns in memory of those who lost their lives. The commemoration is quiet, dignified, and collective, reflecting a shared respect for sacrifice.

Yet Black January is not only about remembrance. Its legacy continues to shape Azerbaijan’s present. The unity and resilience forged in 1990 later found expression in the defense of territorial integrity and sovereignty, including during the 44 day Patriotic War of 2020. Many Azerbaijanis see these later developments as the fulfillment of ideals for which the martyrs of January 20 gave their lives.

Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the country has entered a phase focused on reconstruction, regional cooperation, and the return of displaced communities to their ancestral lands. These priorities echo African post conflict experiences, where rebuilding, reconciliation, and development go hand in hand.

From Addis Ababa, a city that symbolizes African unity, Ambassador Ruslan Nasibov emphasizes the shared lessons of history. “Black January reminds us that independence is never free,” he says. Whether in Azerbaijan or in Africa, it is built on sacrifice, collective memory, and the courage of ordinary people who refuse to surrender their dignity.

More than three decades later, Black January remains a painful chapter, but also a source of strength. For African readers, it offers a familiar lesson: that even in the face of repression, a people’s commitment to freedom can shape a nation’s future.

Black January was a tragedy. But like many defining moments in African history, it was also the moment when a nation, through loss and resilience, fully claimed its place in the world.

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