With the document, Governor Ricketts proclaims February 26, 2016 as the “Khojaly Remembrance Day” in the State of Nebraska and urges all citizens “to take due note of the observance.”

The proclamation, which has been received by the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles, says: “On February 25-26, 1992, the population of the town of Khojaly in Azerbaijan was subjected to a massacre, resulting in the death of over 600 innocent civilians, including many children, women, and elderly.”

“The renowned international human rights organization, Human Rights Watch, called this tragedy the largest massacre in the region,” the document continues. “This event in Khojaly is a sobering reminder of the terrible damage that can be inflicted in wartime and the enduring need for greater understanding, communication, and tolerance among people over the world,” the proclamation states.

The proclamation was also signed by John A. Gale, Nebraska’s Secretary of the State.

This is the first official document on the Khojaly Massacre adopted in Nebraska. Nebraska has become the 18th state in the United States to condemn the Khojaly Massacre, as well as to recognize and honor its innocent victims.