The Systematic Erasure of Armenian Christian Heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh

The ECLJ advocates for the protection of religious freedoms and human dignity before the European Court of Human Rights and other mechanisms set up by the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and other bodies. In June, it published a document, available on its website, entitled: “The Systematic Erasure of Armenian Christian Heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

The Context

Nagorno-Karabakh is an enclave within Azerbaijan. Upon the dissolution of the USSR, the population of this territory, being 94% ethnically Armenian, was claimed by Armenia. In 1988, Azerbaijan launched the first Karabakh war (1988-1994), which claimed more than 30,000 victims and hundreds of thousands of refugees. However, the war was ultimately won by Armenia.

The Armenians then expelled nearly half a million Azeris from Nagorno-Karabakh, and destroyed many mosques and Azerbaijani cultural elements. This set a precedent and poisoned relations between the two countries for a long time. The territory was considered independent, but was de facto dependent on Armenia.

For their part, the Azerbaijani authorities proceeded to destroy Armenian monasteries, churches, and cemeteries in the historically Armenian region of Nakhichevan, located between Iran and Armenia – 98% of the edifices were destroyed. The ECLJ recalls that “this systematic eradication of Armenian heritage in Nakhichevan has been described as the ‘worst cultural genocide of the 21st century.’”

Following a few intermittent conflicts, on September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan launched an offensive which, after two months of war, delivered the majority of Nagorno-Karabakh into the hands of the attackers after signing a ceasefire. Russia then intervened: it handed over the rest of the region to the local authorities and ensured peacekeeping.

But in September 2023, despite this Russian presence, Azerbaijan launched a new attack that allowed it to take full possession of Nagorno-Karabakh, causing the exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians, and giving the Azerbaijanis a free hand to carry out a new “cultural genocide.”

Armenian Heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh

The ECLJ notes that this territory, now in the hands of Azerbaijan, contains approximately 500 cultural sites housing some 6,000 relics of Armenian heritage. From November 2020 to September 2023, dozens of Armenian Christian heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh were destroyed or damaged. The new situation has only amplified the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage.

“Azerbaijan has repeatedly refused to allow foreign observers to monitor these sites” which can only be observed by satellite. The ECLJ report provides a comprehensive list and detailed examination of religious heritage sites that have been destroyed, damaged or threatened by Azerbaijan between September 2023 and June 2024.

This report also explains the cultural revisionism practiced by Azerbaijan. In order to achieve complete cultural erasure, Azerbaijan has not only destroyed Armenian heritage, it also denies that it ever existed and claims that it is of Albanian origin. This is a way of allowing its destruction, and tearing away a part of their past from Armenians.

The ECLJ report concludes with concrete proposals that should be carried out by international bodies to try to stop this cultural genocide and destruction of a heritage that is not only that of Armenia, but that of all humanity.