[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 20, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E55]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMMEMORATING 36TH ANNIVERSARY OF BLACK JANUARY

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 20, 2026

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 36th 
anniversary of the ``Black January'' killings, one of the most tragic 
events in Azerbaijan's history.
  On the night of January 20, 1990, nearly 26,000 Soviet troops stormed 
the capital city of Baku, deploying tanks and armored vehicles against 
the civilian population. Soviet forces crushed innocent Azerbaijanis 
under heavy machinery and fired without restraint at peaceful 
demonstrators, including women and children. These brutal actions 
resulted in the deaths of 147 individuals, injuries to approximately 
800 others, the arrest of 841 people, and the disappearance of five.
  The Human Rights Watch report ``Black January in Azerbaijan'' states 
that ``among the most heinous violations of human rights during the 
Baku incursion were the numerous attacks on medical personnel, 
ambulances, and even hospitals.'' I offer my thoughts and prayers to 
the families of the victims and to those who gave their lives to help 
their fellow citizens.
  The United States was one of the first countries to recognize 
independence and fully established diplomatic relations on February 28, 
1992. Today, the United States and Azerbaijan are still strategic 
allies and share common interests in the region and globally.
  As the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, I urge my 
colleagues to recognize the sacrifices of the Azerbaijani people in 
their steps towards independence and encourage a recommitment to the 
democratic values for which many Azerbaijanis sacrificed their lives.

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