Artsakh-based NGOs have addressed a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, urging them to dispatch a mission to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to document and prevent the systematic destruction of Armenian cultural heritage by Azerbaijan. The NGOs emphasize the necessity of fulfilling UNESCO’s mandate to protect cultural heritage and call for immediate action to halt ongoing violations.
The letter outlines numerous cases of what they describe as cultural genocide. Churches such as the Holy Mother of God in Mekhakavan, St. Sargis in Mokhrenes, and the Church of the Ascension in Berdzor have been completely destroyed. Armenian spiritual centers have been desecrated, hundreds of khachkars (stone-crosses) obliterated, and entire collections from museums and art galleries looted.
The deliberate destruction of cultural sites, including memorials dedicated to the Armenian Genocide and the victims of World War II, violates international law, including the Rome Statute and the Hague Convention. The NGOs highlight that Azerbaijan’s actions not only erase Armenian heritage but also serve as psychological warfare against displaced Armenians from Artsakh.
The NGOs stress that UNESCO has failed to fulfill its mandate over the past four years, limiting its involvement to statements of concern without taking concrete action. They call for a mission to Artsakh to document the current state of cultural heritage and establish mechanisms to prevent further destruction.
This appeal underscores the legal and moral responsibility of the international community to protect cultural heritage. The Armenian NGOs from Artsakh call on the UN and UNESCO to act decisively, asserting that safeguarding cultural heritage is a universal responsibility transcending political borders.
By documenting these crimes and holding violators accountable, the NGOs believe the international community can take a meaningful step toward preventing future atrocities and preserving the cultural legacy of Artsakh for generations to come.
