Azerbaijani authorities continue their policy of ethnic cleansing and cultural heritage destruction in occupied Artsakh, systematically demolishing Armenian villages. This was reported by Hovik Avanesov, the Ombudsman for the Cultural Heritage of the Armenian Highlands, on his Facebook page.
He noted that this alarming process has reached unprecedented levels, turning into a systematic eradication of entire settlements.
"On February 18, Ararat Petrosyan published photographic evidence on his Telegram channel, showing the near-total destruction of the village of Taghut-Taghot in the Hadrut region. This confirms that Azerbaijan is not only targeting cultural heritage but is deliberately erasing Armenian historical settlements to eliminate the Armenian presence in Artsakh," the statement reads.
It is reported that this policy has also affected the heroic village of Karin Tak in the Shushi region, as well as the villages of Mokhrenes, Mariamadzor, and Tsamdzor in the Hadrut region. Additionally, numerous residential districts in Stepanakert and other settlements in Artsakh have suffered.
"This is not just a strategic calculation but a state-led genocidal policy aimed not only at the physical eradication of Armenians but also at erasing their historical and cultural presence in Artsakh.
The international community must urgently respond, condemning Azerbaijan and taking concrete actions to halt this discriminatory and illegal policy, which blatantly violates international law. Silence will only encourage the continuation of this new genocidal mechanism, endangering not only Artsakh but the entire region’s security and stability," the statement warns.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh, subjecting the country to intense shelling. As a result, a day later, on September 20, the authorities of Artsakh accepted a ceasefire proposal from the Russian peacekeeping mission, agreeing to Baku's terms, including the disarmament of the Defense Army and the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. Starting September 24, the forced displacement of Artsakh Armenians began, with over 100,000 people forcibly relocated to Armenia. According to some reports, only about 20 Armenians remain in Artsakh. On September 28, Artsakh’s President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree on the dissolution of the republic, which came into effect on January 1, 2024.
