Azerbaijanis Brutally Destroying Artsakh's Historical and Cultural Monuments, Cemeteries: Babayan

We have information that Azerbaijanis are brutally destroying the historical and cultural monuments, cemeteries, and gravestones in Artsakh, stated the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh, David Babayan, in an interview with a correspondent from Artsakhpress.

According to him, Azerbaijanis are using gravestones as building materials, particularly for the construction of various roads. "This is another manifestation of cultural genocide, a barbarism that has political objectives. They are not only completely erasing the Armenian trace but also using it for economic purposes. By building such infrastructures, Azerbaijanis are making it much more difficult to restore everything later. This is a gross violation of international and moral norms," Babayan said.

When asked which roads are being constructed using gravestones, the Minister responded that different sources provide different information, particularly that it is reported that gravestones are widely used in the construction of the Hadrut-Shushi highway segment.

"There is evidence showing how Azerbaijanis are demolishing the cemeteries in Hadrut. This information necessitates that the international community conduct monitoring missions and observe the reality on the ground. This should be carried out by various state institutions. We have sent numerous letters to various international organizations regarding the cultural genocide being carried out by Azerbaijan, as well as made statements. There are some movements. Unfortunately, this process is time-consuming and labor-intensive for international organizations to operate effectively," added David Babayan.