According to medieval art historian and Caucasus expert Patrik Donabedyan, Baku’s policy is a continuation of the 19th century policy of the Ottoman Empire with new approaches which aimed to destroy the entire Armenian presence from the region. This was written by the French newspaper “Le Figaro”.

“They destroyed the population step by step (genocide committed against Armenians) destroyed their inheritance or redistributed  that inheritance to others. The aim was to prevent the population from returning after the expulsion and show that Armenians are strangers in these regions and have no right to these lands,” states the article. From this point of view, cemeteries are targeted.

These places are very    important   in the identity of Armenians and are  related to their ancestors,  with their famous khachkars, tombstones, the oldest of which date back to the 9th century,and unfortunately were subjected to many vandalistic actions during the military operations in Baku. After Armenians departed from these places, in the 19th century the cemetery near Guze Tagh of Aknaghbyur  village was completely destroyed.

Another cemetery, located near Vazgenashen, dates back to the 14th century and has several medieval khachkars and  it has been in an intensive construction zone since 2023. 

According to satellite images, a large part of the cemetery has already been destroyed, suggesting that it may be replaced by modern infrastructure.

Bulldozers dumped garbage on the gravestones  near Yerevan gates  and in the Ghazanchetsots cemeteries built in the 18th-19th centuries.

In view of this alarming situation   the European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ) announced that they feared for the  monasteries of Artsakh.

In particular, the fates of Dadivank (built between the 9th and 13th centuries), Gandzasar (built in the 13th century) and Amaras (built in the 4th century) have caused the concern of the international community.