To Azerbaijan’s Policy of destroying Artsakh’s cultural heritage

Armine H. Tigranyan

Keywords – Artsakh, international organizations, destruction of cultural heritage, state policy of Azerbaijan, Council of Europe, UNESCO, The Hague International Court of Justice.

Summary

This article examines explores the international community’s response to Azerbaijan’s state policy of destroying Artsakh’s cultural heritage, spanning focusing on the period from the 2020 war to the present. It provides a comprehensive analysis of international resolutions, declarations, parliamentary and judicial decisions that address Azerbaijan’s aggressive actions, condemning them while protecting Armenian heritage. The article evaluates the impact and significance of these measures in preserving Artsakh’s historical and cultural values and preventing further destruction.

By analyzing reviewing statements and decisions made by international institutions over the past four years, the article highlights the pronounced silence and neutrality of global actors during and after the 2020 war, especially following the November 9 tripartite agreement. The study underscores the importance of the favorable shift in global discourse following the 2021 judgment by the International Court of Justice in The Hague against Azerbaijan. It presents the subsequent calls, statements, and decisions that emerged in response to the complete depopulation of Artsakh and the ensuing destruction of its heritage.

The research findings reveal that during the war’s active military operations, international structures maintained a stance detached from the realities on the ground. This created an atmosphere of impunity, indirectly encouraging further destructive actions due to neutrality and concealment of the facts. A year after the ceasefire, despite some international bodies withdrawing from unilateral statements and condemning Azerbaijan’s cultural genocide, responsible organizations failed to prevent the relentless destruction of Artsakh’s rich heritage.

In this period of global instability, a new perspective emerged with several European Parliament resolutions and decisions from the International Court of Justice. These documents began to condemn Azerbaijan’s actions and provided a more accurate assessment of the situation. Almost a year after the war, international courts formally condemned Azerbaijan’s policy of Armenian hatred. While this response may still lack the power to create effective protection mechanisms for Artsakh’s unique heritage, it represents one of the first attempts to connect the destruction of Armenian cultural values during the 44-day war with Azerbaijan’s long-standing policy, dating back to the early 20th century. For the first time, Armenian hatred was considered an international policy with a century- long history, tied to genocide, the disruption of peace agendas, and a severe blow to universal values.

Following the forced deportation of Artsakh’s population in 2023, when 120,000 Armenians were deprived of their homeland and access to cultural values, international organizations again issued only neutral statements and appeals related to the legal protection of forcibly displaced persons. During the same period, Azerbaijan, despite its numerous violations of UNESCO conventions and heritage protection principles, was elected to the vice-presidency of UNESCO. The international community remained largely silent regarding the destruction of churches and cemeteries. Apart from a few general statements, the protection of Artsakh’s cultural heritage was addressed in vague terms, and the absence of concrete actions has led to the continued loss of unique values.

Despite these challenges, the ongoing destruction of monasteries and khachkars of universal importance in Artsakh persists, with Azerbaijan still uncondemned. UNESCO’s visit to the region remains disrupted, undermining real peace efforts and allowing Azerbaijan to continue its destructive policies unchecked.