PHOTOS: Azerbaijanis Destroy Anatoly Zinevich's Statue in Stepanakert

On January 10, 2024, a series of videos were posted on the Azerbaijani Azərbaycan Ordusu/Ordu.az Facebook page, showcasing heavy snowfall in various areas of occupied Artsakh. One of the videos was filmed in Stepanakert, on the street named after Anatoly Zinevich.

The organization Monument Watch, which monitors monuments in Artsakh, alerted to this incident. "Here, in 2014, a statue of Anatoly Zinevich, former Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of Artsakh's Defense Army and a Lieutenant General, was unveiled (https://artsakhpress.am/arm/news/6852/). At the 7th second of the Azerbaijani video, one can see the place where the statue was located. Only the remnants of the pedestal are visible (https://www.facebook.com/Herbi.Mediya/videos/382713347575892). It is evident that the statue has been destroyed or removed.

Our Response: According to Article 4 of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, any act of vandalism, theft, looting, appropriation, animosity, and retribution towards cultural heritage is prohibited. The first protocol of the Hague Convention of 1954 also prohibits the destruction of cultural or spiritual values in occupied territories. The second protocol of the Hague of 1999 reaffirms this requirement and categorizes such acts as international crimes under Article 15. Acts of destruction of cultural values are also prohibited by the four conventions and protocols regarding the protection of victims of the war of August 12, 1949, as well as relevant UN resolutions and human rights protection treaties,” states the organization on its website.