Letter from the Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of Azerbaijan to the Bolsheviks of Goris – The Period of Occupation of Artsakh by the Russians, 1920

In May 1920, the Russians without declaring war invaded the First Republic of Armenia and occupied Artsakh. Soviet Azerbaijan made decisive actions to subjugate the Armenian region.

To this end, the chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of Azerbaijan Nariman Narimanov appointed Asad Karayev as chairman of the Karabakh Revolution Committee. Karayev was tasked to coordinate his actions with the anti-Armenian policy of the Bolsheviks of Zangezur.

Below is Karayev’s letter to the Muslim Bolsheviks of the Goris Regional Revolutionary Committee of the Bolshevik Party.

Top secret! Comrades!

The arriving comrades say that so far, 90% of the Armenian villages of Zangezur have not been disarmed. This is regrettable. But it is even more regrettable that the Armenians of Zangezur have not yet been beheaded.

Its (Zangezur’s) intelligentsia and military leaders are in the villages. Tomorrow, in the event of an uprising, they will become the leaders of the uprising and expel our forces from Zangezur. Again and again, I repeat that time does not wait.

Act so that all known and suitable Armenians are arrested. Exiles and robberies – everything should be used. Forget about humanity. With its help, it is impossible to create a state, to conquer countries, to live in peace.

Try to reelect the Revolutionary Committee, and during this time, only elect those Muslims and Russians that you know.

These days, Armenak Gharagyozian will arrive in Goris. He is late because he has to get the money. Until he receives 22 million rubles, he will not come. This is a good time to get rich, so why not take the advantage? He promises to append Zangezur to Azerbaijan within 7 days.

If you have no strength, then there is money. Why are you late in joining this rebellious region to Azerbaijan, justifying yourself by the fact that Azhda Pasha (Garegin Nzhdeh) is powerful? Use blessed ways. Which Armenian wouldn’t bring his (Nzhdeh’s) head if you offered 3 million rubles for it?

In the well-known places which are full of soldiers, in order to weaken the Armenians, kill one Russian soldier and blame the Armenians for this.

Find out what the Russians will say.

Do not leave a single decent man or wealth in Zangezur so that this damned nation never rises again.

This was done in Russia, and so must you.

With greetings, Asad Karayev. Shushi, July 21, 1920

ՄԼԻ ԿԿԱ, ֆ. 64, ց.1, գ.10, թ.9, թ.10

Arshaluis Zurabyan