The Cross of Vankasari Church Removed

The cultural ombudsman of Haik writes: “In photos circulated on Azerbaijani social media platforms, the cross of Vankasari Church is missing. This church is also presented by the Azerbaijani state propaganda as being of Albanian origin. This fact once again demonstrates that Azerbaijan is committing cultural genocide in theOccupied territories of Artsakh at a state level.

According to Article 4 of the 1954 Hague Convention, acts of vandalism, theft, pillaging, appropriation, enmity, and retribution against cultural heritage are prohibited. The first protocol of the Hague Convention of 1954 prohibits the destruction of cultural or spiritual values in occupied territories.

It is important to note that the International Court of Justice ruled on December 7, 2021, to prohibit acts of desecration of Armenian churches.