Salatyn Asgarova
Encyclopedia
Salatyn Aziz qizi Asgarova (also spelled Salatin Askerova; ; ; 16 December 1961 – 9 January 1991) is a National Hero of Azerbaijan
. She was one of the Azerbaijani
journalist
s killed in the Nagorno-Karabakh war
.
, Azerbaijan
. After finishing secondary school, she entered Azerbaijan Oil and Chemistry Institute. However, her enormous interest in literature brought her into journalism. She started her journalistic career at “Baku” newspaper, and then began working as a special correspondent for “Molodezh Azerbaijana” (“The Youth of Azerbaijan”).
Prior to the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh War
, Salatyn was writing about contemporary issues of society. However, after the war broke out, Salatyn frequently visited the front line and provided press coverage from hot spots. Her family and colleagues tried to persuade her not to go to the front line jeopardizing her life. In such cases she would usually say: “If nobody goes, then who will?”
to prepare a story for the newspaper. At the 6th kilometer of the Lachin
- Shusha highway, next to the village of Böyük Galadərəsi, the vehicle she was in was gunned down by Armenian Armenian militants shot almost at point-blank range with machine guns and sniper rifles. The investigators counted 113 bullet holes in the vehicle.. As a result of the attack, Salatyn Asgarova died instantly. Three military officers (Lieutenant-Colonel O. Larionov, Major I. Ivanov and Sergeant I. Goyek) of the Soviet Army
accompanying her were killed as well.
The murderers – Arno Mkrtchian, Hrachik Petrossian, A. Mongasagian and Garik Arustamian – were identified and arrested; however, due to certain circumstances, they were later released and handed over to the Armenian authorities.
carry her name, and a monument in her memory was erected at Tafakkur University in Baku.
She was conferred the National Hero title posthumously. Salatyn was buried in the Martyrs' Lane
.
Heroes of Azerbaijan
The National Hero of Azerbaijan is the highest national title in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The law on the title has been in effect since December 25, 1995....
. She was one of the Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s killed in the Nagorno-Karabakh war
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
.
Early life
Salatyn was born on December 16, 1961 in BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. After finishing secondary school, she entered Azerbaijan Oil and Chemistry Institute. However, her enormous interest in literature brought her into journalism. She started her journalistic career at “Baku” newspaper, and then began working as a special correspondent for “Molodezh Azerbaijana” (“The Youth of Azerbaijan”).
Prior to the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
, Salatyn was writing about contemporary issues of society. However, after the war broke out, Salatyn frequently visited the front line and provided press coverage from hot spots. Her family and colleagues tried to persuade her not to go to the front line jeopardizing her life. In such cases she would usually say: “If nobody goes, then who will?”
Death
On January 9, 1991, the 29-year-old journalist was on her way to ShushaShusha
Shusha , also known as Shushi is a town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic since its capture in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
to prepare a story for the newspaper. At the 6th kilometer of the Lachin
Lachin
Lachin is a town in Azerbaijan and the regional center of the Lachin Rayon. Since 1992 the area has been under the control of the de facto independent unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which has renamed the town Berdzor . The town and its surrounding region serve as the strategic Lachin...
- Shusha highway, next to the village of Böyük Galadərəsi, the vehicle she was in was gunned down by Armenian Armenian militants shot almost at point-blank range with machine guns and sniper rifles. The investigators counted 113 bullet holes in the vehicle.. As a result of the attack, Salatyn Asgarova died instantly. Three military officers (Lieutenant-Colonel O. Larionov, Major I. Ivanov and Sergeant I. Goyek) of the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
accompanying her were killed as well.
The murderers – Arno Mkrtchian, Hrachik Petrossian, A. Mongasagian and Garik Arustamian – were identified and arrested; however, due to certain circumstances, they were later released and handed over to the Armenian authorities.
Legacy
Today one of Baku’s streets and a vessel in the Caspian SeaCaspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
carry her name, and a monument in her memory was erected at Tafakkur University in Baku.
She was conferred the National Hero title posthumously. Salatyn was buried in the Martyrs' Lane
Martyrs' Lane
Martyrs' Lane, Alley of Martyrs or Şəhidlər Xiyabanı , formerly The Kirov Park, is a cemetery and memorial in Baku, Azerbaijan dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January and later to those killed in Nagorno-Karabakh War.-History:In the closing days of World War I fighting...
.