YEREVAN. – Armenian NGOs released a statement calling on states’ governments to recognize the 1988 Sumgait massacres as genocide.

“Over 100 Armenian civilians became victim in 1988 in Sumgait city of Azerbaijan. The only reason was the nationality, which was confessed by the Azerbaijani former and incumbent authorities,” the statement reads.

It mentions there are grounds proving that the 1988 Sumgait crimes were perpetrated by then the Azerbaijani authorities and pursued only one goal to annihilate the Armenians in Azerbaijan.

“Thus, we call on the foreign states’ governments through accredited ambassadors and international organizations in Armenia to recognize the violations launched by the Azerbaijani authorities as genocide,” the statement reads.