Artsakh Ombudsman Issues Statement on Destruction of Cultural Heritage and Vandalism

Despite the international community's overall failure to adequately condemn Azerbaijan's ongoing destruction of Armenian cultural heritage and acts of vandalism, and the lack of necessary measures to prevent them, some international organizations prioritize cultural values over political considerations and emphasize the critical need for their protection.

This was stated by Gegham Stepanyan, the Ombudsman of Artsakh, on his Facebook page.

He particularly noted, “The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh welcomes the recent joint statement by two well-known international public organizations, Europa Nostra and the European Association of Archaeologists, regarding the comprehensive protection of the integrity, authenticity, and diversity of the rich cultural heritage present in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which, as stated in the statement, reflects the multi-cultural and multi-confessional past and present of that region as well as of Europe as a whole.”

In the statement, the two organizations affirm their support for ensuring the integrity, authenticity, and diversity of the rich cultural heritage in the region. At the same time, they call on UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE Minsk Group to work together to fully ensure the protection of cultural and religious heritage in the affected areas, including sending an impartial team of European (international) experts to the region to conduct comprehensive and objective scientific research on the rich cultural heritage.

The Ombudsman emphasizes that such calls and effective measures aimed at preserving cultural values must be included on the agendas of relevant international organizations and must be protected on equal grounds, regardless of political expediency.