New Evidence on the Destruction of Big Tagher Village, Cemetery, School, and St. Astvatsatsin Church

On November 10, 2022, BBC News correspondent Olga Ivshina published an extensive article titled "Victory Display: How Nagorno-Karabakh Lives Two Years Later" following a visit by the BBC news team to Nagorno-Karabakh. The article provides detailed descriptions and nuances about the destruction and desecration of the cemetery, the village school, and St. Astvatsatsin Church in the village of Big Tagher, located in the Hadrut region of the Artsakh Republic. This information was reported by monumentwatch.org.

The article begins by describing the heavy toll of the war on both sides: "more than 8,000 soldier deaths, 10,000 homeless individuals, and abandoned, destroyed settlements," the article states. The journalist also addresses the destruction of the cemetery called "Big Tagher," pointing out that 100 years ago, Armenians lived here and fled due to the war. Subsequently, while describing the village, located just a few dozen meters from the main road, and the St. Savior Church built in 1846 (more details available in the article), the journalist provides numerous details about acts of destruction, desecration, and various other manifestations of vandalism carried out by Azerbaijanis here.

Specifically, the journalist notes, "The wooden doors at the entrance are broken, and a damaged stone head of Jesus Christ lies near the church door. Fragments of architectural details are scattered under the entrance arch. Several of the old gravestones by the northern wall are broken, and white stones roll beneath our feet." Commenting on the prayer hall, the journalist mentions, "In the center of the prayer hall, there is a wooden bench covered in a thick layer of dust. Another one is turned over and lying nearby. The third bench is leaning against the altar for some reason. The altar and some walls are marked with large red letters—names left by Azerbaijani soldiers who entered the village first in the fall of 2020. Almost nothing remains of the church's furnishings; the Azerbaijanis have left behind only a torn half of an icon."

In the next section of the article, the journalist discusses Big Tagher village, from which its Armenian residents were forcibly displaced due to the war. The journalist describes the abandoned life in the village: broken gates, shattered windows, and the rusty metal of a car left behind. The journalist also highlights the village's three-story school, noting that there are Armenian inscriptions on the walls, renovated by Armenians. The reporter documents the looting of the school’s belongings, with Azerbaijani words written on the corridor walls. The journalist points out, "The corridors where children ran two years ago now stand empty." The continued reading of the article also reveals new evidence regarding the destruction of the Big Tagher cemetery.

Six months after the end of the Second Artsakh War, Caucasus Heritage Watch, which monitors the cultural heritage of Artsakh via satellite systems, published satellite images documenting the cemetery's destruction by Azerbaijanis. Confirming the destruction of the cemetery, the journalist notes visible bulldozer tracks and states that the partially destroyed gravestones are the last traces of the devastated cemetery.

It is essential to remember that damage to the cultural values of any people represents an assault on the cultural heritage of all humanity, as each people contributes to the global cultural diversity. According to the 1954 Hague Convention, which is also the basis for other international treaties, its first article defines cultural value as "regardless of origin or owner, the movable or immovable heritage of any people of great importance, such as monuments of architecture, art, or history, regardless of their religious or secular nature." According to Article 4 of the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, any act of vandalism, theft, looting, appropriation, hostility, and retaliation against cultural heritage is prohibited. According to the first protocol of the 1954 Hague Convention, it is forbidden to destroy cultural or spiritual values in occupied territories.