Hovik Avanesov, the Ombudsman for the Cultural Heritage of Artsakh, addressed the current state of Artsakh’s cultural heritage during the discussion titled “Artsakh Three Years Later: Facts, Political Responsibility, and the Agenda for the Future.”

According to the data he presented, more than 1,000 cases of vandalism have been recorded since 2020. More than seven churches have been completely destroyed, while approximately ten villages have disappeared entirely. A number of other settlements have also been partially destroyed. Avanesov stated that Stepanakert’s monumental heritage, including residential neighborhoods, has also been largely destroyed.

Referring to reports concerning Azerbaijan’s appeal to INTERPOL, Avanesov stated that it is necessary to inform the international community about the threats facing Artsakh’s cultural heritage and to document the recorded cases.

According to him, an official letter is expected to be sent to INTERPOL in the near future to clarify on what grounds and under what procedure a possible entry into the database was made, as well as whether the relevant process actually took place.