If taken place, Jewish pogroms in Sumgait should be condemned

PanARMENIAN.Net - Chairperson of the Jewish community of Armenia Rimma Varzhapetyan said she possesses no information on pogroms of Jews in Sumgait.



"I am not aware. But if the incidents really took place, official Baku should immediately condemn them. Without condemnation, Azerbaijan's policy toward Israel will grow menacing," she told PanARMENIAN.Net



"Aggression against Jews in Sumgait can incite violence in other Islamic states. Azerbaijan often claims that the rights of Jews are not protected in Armenia. But we do see that the country where Jews are disrespected is Azerbaijan," she said.



The murders of Armenians in Sumgait on February 27-29, 1988 were nothing but unveiled barbarism of the Azeri authorities, according to her.



"Now, I am confident that there are forces encouraging aggression against Jews throughout the globe," Mrs. Varzhapetyan said.



Several incidents were reported to take place in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, on the night of Feb. 9.



Several apartments belonging to Jews were robbed. According to preliminary data, 12 injured, some of them knifed, were hospitalized.



Presently, PanARMENIAN.Net jointly with the Jewish community of Armenia is trying to check whether the information is true.