The Lithuanian military journalist, a witness of the Khojaly genocide and the representative of the International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) in Lithuania Richardas Lapaitis during his visit to Baku visited the office of the IEPF, Eurasia Diary informs.

During the meeting with IEPF President Umud Mirzayev and the organization’s staff, the journalist recalled memories of the war in Karabakh. Richaradas Lapaytis presented to everyone Amina Akhundova, who is the daughter of Gultekin Askerova - the national hero of Azerbaijan, a doctor who heroically died in the spark of the Karabakh war. He told the touching story of their acquaintance, which crawled all those present in the office. It turns out that Richardas was the first to tell to the 9 years old Amina and her grandmother about the terrible grief.

“Gultekin Askerova had an identification mark. She was a doctor. It was not even possible to gather parts of her body due to ongoing brutal fights. Only In the evening, it became possible to gather her body and put on the tarpaulin. I was told that for me the bed was free - the doctor Is dead. Her military ID was full in her blood, where the address was written. I found this house. Nine-year-old girl Amina ran out of the house. She had very beautiful eyes. And the mother of the killed doctor was there. I was the first to tell them the sad news. After that, I have not been in Azerbaijan for 20 years. To admit, I have always remembered this girl. Never forgot the feat of her mother. When in 2011, the movie “Endless Corridor” was filmed, based on my memory recalls of the Khojaly genocide, I again went to the same address. As if  I had deja vu. When the door opened, a girl of the same age ran out again. This was the granddaughter of Gultekin Askerova. On that day, Amina showed me the pendant presented by me on the day of our first meeting with the image of the Virgin Mary, which, as it turned out, she still keeps in the place of honor in their house. Since then, Amina has become like a daughter to me,”Richardas recalled with tears in his eyes.

It is important that the IEPF, since 1993, has repeatedly contributed to the stay of the journalist Richardas Lapaitis in the front-line zones in order to make the Lithuanian and international community familiar with the true realities of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Richardas was provided with everything necessary for full-fledged reporter work at the front. The IEPF also applied for its admission to forbidden areas. President of the Foundation Umud Mirzayev awarded the journalist with the diploma "For courage and objective coverage of the events in Nagorno-Karabakh".

It should be reminded that the purpose of the visit to Baku for a Lithuanian journalist was participation in an international scientific conference on the theme "Caucasus, history, culture, the future of the Caucasus, the social life of the whole region", at which he was awarded the Golden Order Golden Order.

Let us note that the International Fund of the Turkic Nations "Dede Gorgud" awarded the journalist for his services to Azerbaijan, for the selfless performance of his professional duty during the Karabakh war 1992-94, for his participation in the documentary film about the Khojaly tragedies, for the bilateral relations of Lithuania and Azerbaijan, for work in refugee camps and in the front-line zone.

To the conference held by Richardas Lapaitis and other activists were invited the Turkish Historical Society together along with the Institute of Strategic Thinking of the Republic of Turkey with the support of the Institute of History named after A.A. Bakikhanov National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan.

Eurasia Diary

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