ANKARA — Chief Ombudsman of Türkiye and President of the OIC Ombudsman Association (OICOA), Mr. Mehmet Akarca, participated as a keynote speaker at the Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony marking the Khojaly (Hojaly) Massacre. The event was organized under the patronage of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM), led by the Türkiye–Azerbaijan Friendship, Cooperation and Solidarity Foundation, in cooperation with the Embassy of Azerbaijan.
In his address, Mr. Akarca offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the Khojaly tragedy and underscored the continued need for justice and remembrance. He stated that the gathering was not only an occasion to share grief, but also to reaffirm collective determination to ensure that such suffering is never repeated. Mr. Akarca emphasized that confronting the pain and lessons of history is essential to preventing future tragedies, describing the events of Khojaly as a profound and lasting wound.
He further noted that the targeting of civilians—women, children, the elderly, and other innocent people—constitutes a violation that strikes at the very core of humanity, stressing that the tragedy should be recognized as a crime against humanity.
The ceremony was attended by Public Ombudsmen Mr. Abdullah Cengiz Makas, Mr. Özcan Yıldız, Mr. İlmazerif Yılmaz, and Secretary General Mr. Mehmet Doğan. The Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, Ms. Sabina Aliyeva, also participated as a speaker, highlighting the shared commitment of both institutions to remembrance, justice, and the protection of fundamental rights.
