Azerbaijani Forces Destroy the Village of Mohrenes in Artsakh

Monument Watch alerts that according to satellite images (see photo 1), the Azerbaijani side has destroyed the village of Mohrenes in the Hadrut region of Artsakh, which has been under Azerbaijani control since October 2020. Most of the village's houses, the school, the kindergarten, and more have been destroyed.

As early as 2022, Azerbaijan had already destroyed the St. Sarkis Church in the village. The Mohrenes village and its surroundings are rich in monuments, with more than 20 registered in the area. Not far from the village is the famous monastery known as “Oghta Drni.” The destruction actions put the monuments located around the village at direct risk.

Since 2021, large-scale construction and infrastructure works conducted by the Azerbaijani side in occupied Artsakh have led to extensive destruction in several villages. The villages of the Hadrut region and their adjacent areas are predominantly at risk, due to the construction of two new roads leading to Shushi, along with the infrastructure supporting them, which resulted in the devastation of vast territories for the passage of roads and the accumulation of construction machinery, service personnel, building materials, and waste. Frequently, various engineering issues were resolved at the expense of the destruction of Armenian villages or their houses.

The destruction of Mohrenes village is likely a result of these deliberate actions.

Our Response

Assessing the destruction of the infrastructures and cultural monuments of Mohrenes within a broader context of cultural heritage, it is crucial to note that both material structures and intangible heritage have been attacked in this case, including traditions, stories, and the culture of daily life. The document adopted by the Council of Europe on the cultural heritage strategy for the 21st century defines heritage as follows: “Cultural heritage, encompassing material and immaterial dimensions, skills, ‘knowing-how’, perceptions, attitudes, and other elements, is inseparably linked with the context and the natural and cultural environment in which it has evolved.”

Therefore, any destruction of the cultural heritage of Artsakh leads not only to the physical loss of that value but also harms identity, disrupts the natural environment, and significantly damages the rights of the Artsakh Armenians to their culture. Forcibly removing the people of Artsakh from their native land and the neutralization or forced displacement of the opportunity to communicate with their heritage, contribute to their community's cultural life, sustain heritage, and pass it on to future generations is a significant obstacle to preserving and recreating identity.

The destruction of the village is a series of combined crimes by Azerbaijan throughout the war and the occupation, violating both international norms for the protection of heritage during wartime and the principles of authenticity and integrity established by UNESCO, as well as the rulings of the International Court of Justice.

The damage to the village constitutes a “serious violation” under Article 4 of The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 1954 and additionally Article 15(a) of the Second Protocol adopted in 1999, which as a war crime may be prosecuted in international courts.