Azerbaijan Continues Cultural Genocide: Babayan Responds to Video Evidence of Construction at Ghazanchetsots Church

First and foremost, it is important to clarify what is happening around the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots Church in Shushi. This was stated by David Babayan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh, in an interview with Armenpress, commenting on the photos and videos circulated on the internet showing construction scaffolding installed by Azerbaijanis on the external walls of the church.

“One thing is clear: Azerbaijan continues its cultural genocide. The destruction of Armenian historical and cultural heritage and the attempt to change their identity, turning them into so-called 'Albanian' artifacts, are manifestations of cultural genocide. Almost all Armenian historical and cultural monuments are endangered from this perspective. Those Armenian sites that Azerbaijan cannot destroy, as they are recognized globally and have significant cultural resonance, will try to appropriate by turning them into fabricated symbols of some culture. Such phenomena are strictly condemnable and reveal the true nature of Azerbaijan,” Babayan stated, emphasizing that lessons must be learned from all this, without departing from national values and principles.

Referring to the actions international relevant organizations should take in defense of Armenian historical and cultural monuments under Azerbaijan's control, Babayan noted that regular appeals are made to international organizations in this regard. “We will continue to work in this direction. We must work together with Mother Armenia and the Diaspora. What is happening to Armenian cultural sites is akin to what terrorists were doing in Afghanistan, Palmyra in Syria, Mesopotamia, and so on. This is the same style, but here it is being carried out at the state level,” the head of Artsakh’s foreign affairs ministry added, stating that Azerbaijan's behavior adopted on the eve of genocide is nothing other than support for genocide.