137

out the assets and left there were Alexander Melikov, Javad Parsegov,

Mirza Parsegov, Magax Pogosov, Arteshes Melikov, Nerses Sarumov

and others. When I asked Alexander Melikov the reason of selling the

stuff and leaving, he replied: “Something is to happen between you

and us, so the Committee calls us back”.

After the Armenians withdrew, as an envoy, I met the Bolshevik

ringleaders Shaumyan and Japaridze

to ascertain whether the So-

viets had really sent the punitive squad of Amazasp to Guba and pre-

sented them detailed written records of the squad’s actions in town.

Shaumyan listened with a smile on his face saying that while Muslims

and Turks have murdered hundreds of thousands Armenians, Muslims

are shedding tears for a couple of their fellows killed by Armenians

in Guba. As for Japaridze, he listened carefully saying that the Soviets

were not involved in sending the punitive force. He also instructed

a Bolshevik Aziz-bey Meshadibeyov

to investigate the activities of

Amazasp’s unit.

As for the witnesses of atrocities committed by Amazasp’s forces

towards Guba’s Muslim population I can name the following ones:

Meshadi Hamidulla Aliyev, Meshadi Hajjiagha Kerbelai Ahmad oghlu,

Shukur Turab oghlu, Miralakbar Mirsamad oghlu and Meshadi Mullah

Yussuf Marsiyekhan.

Records read aloud to and signed by Alibeyiov Aliabbas-bey

Signed by A.Novatski, the member of the Commission

Reference:

SARA, f.1061, op.1, d.96, ll.34-39

File No.57

Record of Examination

On this 16

day of December, 1918, in Guba

Novatski, the member of the Ad Hoc Investigation Commission

established by the Government of Azerbaijan, examined the following

person as a witness, pursuant to the Criminal Court Regulations:

Witness: Meshadi Hajjiagha Kerbalai Ahmad oghlu, aged

35, a Guba resident, literate.

I only got to know about the Armenians’ arrival when they were

about one verst away from the town and stopped overnight. In the

morning next ay, a large unit launched an attack upon the town

Documents on the Devastation of Guba

Witness Testimonies of Residents of the Town of Guba