Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture Publishes Photo Not from Shahbulagh of Aghdam, But from the Fortress of Akhaltsikhe, Georgia

UNESCO's major patron, the "civilized and culture-loving" Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Anar Karimov, has made a "discovery of the century" by publishing a photo on his Twitter account, claiming to be from the Shahbulagh fortress in Aghdam. He wrote, "This is the Shahbulagh fortress in the recently liberated Aghdam, built by Panah Ali Khan of Karabakh in 1752." This was reported on Facebook by the Deputy Director of the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Raffi Kortooshyan.

In his post, Karimov stated, "Shahbulagh is recognized as one of the best architectural fortifications. During the Armenian occupation, it underwent alterations, including the installation of a cross in the wall."

Similar statements were made by Azerbaijani parliament member Elnur Allahverdiyev, who forwarded it to all embassies in Baku. This material was spread on Twitter and Facebook by thousands of users with various comments and in many languages. Many comments on these posts claim that Armenians are attempting to falsify history by marking the Shahbulagh fortress and all of Artsakh with cross-stones.

However, the truth is the opposite. The photo published by the Azerbaijani Minister of Culture is not from the Shahbulagh fortress of Aghdam but from the fortress of Akhaltsikhe in Georgia. The cross-stone that had been present since its construction was removed after 2011 during renovations carried out by the Georgians in the fortress.

Attached are also images of that tower of the Akhaltsikhe fortress taken in the 1980s.

Anar Karimov's post: Twitter Link
Elnur Allahverdiyev's post: Facebook Link