143
days here and left with the Armenians. Subsequently a larges unit ar-
rived manned exclusively by the Armenians and led by Amazasp. The
unit took the town under control. The Armenians started killing lo-
cal residents, men, women and children, and got engaged in looting.
The case I am aware of is when the Armenians killed Meshadi Heybat
Molla Muhammadsalah oghlu, his wife and their under age children,
one of them an infant.
They were plundering shops and houses. Several persons ap-
peared at my home too. I offered them tea. They had tea and left.
While leaving, they noticed my silver pocket watch and asked me to
gift it to them. That’s what I did. They also left a number of house-
holds ablaze.
Five days later, when the Armenians slightly calmed down, a
group of envoys, me among they, went to see Amazasp to ask him to
halt the murder and robberies. He appeared in front of a large group
of people and stated that he had been sent here to do away with all
of us, however he showed mercy, and the slaughter would be suspen-
ded, however what happened was inevitable. I am not familiar with
anyone in Amazasp’s unit, so I can name no one. I only lost my silver
watch, and this is what my brother lost too. The Armenians grabbed
them. Nothing I can add to this.
Read aloud to and signed by the witness in Arabic characters
Translated by E.Khanbudaghov (certified by a signature)
Signed by A.Novatski, the member of the Commission
Reference: SARA, f.1061, op.1, d.96, l.46
File No.61
Record of Examination
On this 13th 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 Mullah Youssuf, the weeper, aged 60, a
Guba resident, literate.
In April this year, a military unit arrived in Guba, manned by
Documents on the Devastation of Guba
Witness Testimonies of Residents of the Town of Guba