The pogroms of Armenians in Baku, January 1990

On 13 January 1990 pogroms against the Armenian population began in Baku and continued until 20 January of the same year. This period later became known as “Black January”. By January 1990, of the 250 000-strong Armenian community of Baku about 35–40 thousand people remained, mainly people with disabilities, the elderly and the sick, as well as the relatives caring for them.

From 13 January the pogroms became organized, targeted and massive. There are numerous testimonies of violence and killings committed with exceptional cruelty. The exact number of victims of the genocide of Armenians in Baku is still unknown: according to various data, between 150 and 400 people were killed and hundreds maimed. The pogroms went on for a week amid the complete inaction of the authorities of Azerbaijan and the USSR, the internal troops and the large Baku garrison of the Soviet Army.

The photograph shows two men leading a distressed elderly woman by the arms; behind them are a bus and people with bags.