Аzerbaijan destroys war memorials in Artsakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijani authorities have demolished the World War II memorial complex and the tank monument in the Askeran region of Artsakh, according to Monument Watch.

Since the 44-day war in 2020, the destruction of Armenian memorials dedicated to the Great Patriotic War (WWII) has become one of the consistent tactics employed by Azerbaijan. These complexes also commemorate the Armenian Genocide, victims of the Artsakh wars, and other significant events in Armenian history.

Over the past five years, similar memorials have already been eradicated in Shushi, Hadrut, Azokh, Mets Tagher, and other locations.

In May 2025, satellite imagery reviewed by the Artsakh Cultural Heritage Monitoring Group confirmed that the memorial complex in the Askeran region (also known as Mayraberd) had been destroyed using heavy construction machinery. The complex included:

• A khachkar (Armenian cross-stone) marking Artsakh's Independence Day (2015)
• A WWII memorial (1941–1945)
• A tribute titled “Glory to the Defenders of the Homeland”
• A khachkar for victims of the Sumgait pogroms
• A soldier monument with three figures and the Gold Eagle Order emblem
• A khachkar modeled after those in Julfa, commemorating the centenary of the Armenian Genocide (2015)

Satellite images from May 11, 2025, show that between April 2024 and March 2025, construction machinery had accumulated at the site, which was ultimately leveled. In contrast, 2023 images confirm the complex was intact at that time. The demolition is tied to a new Azerbaijani road construction project.

The site held symbolic significance for May 9 commemorations, honoring both WWII and the liberation of Shushi. It was also used for Armenian Genocide remembrance on April 24. Its destruction is considered an act against the cultural identity of the Armenians of Artsakh.

Additionally, the Tank Monument on the road from Mayraberd to Tigranakert and Akna has also been destroyed. The site featured a T-72 tank atop a stone pedestal and an adjacent park where the Armenian flag once flew. It had remained intact through 2023, but 2024 imagery confirms its removal.

The tank site was an important commemorative space, particularly on May 9, when people paid tribute to the fallen of the Artsakh wars. It also hosted swearing-in ceremonies for conscripts of the Artsakh Defense Army.

The destruction of these khachkars and monuments, dedicated to WWII, the Artsakh struggle, and the Armenian Genocide, violates Article 4 of the 1954 Hague Convention and its 1999 Second Protocol, which protect cultural property during armed conflict.

Such actions also contravene multiple principles of international humanitarian law, notably Rules 38–41. According to the International Court of Justice, the legal framework governing occupied territories, including the safeguarding of cultural heritage, constitutes customary international law binding on all states.

Importantly, the deliberate destruction of Armenian khachkars is recognized as a serious crime against humanity. As the “Art of Armenian Khachkars: Symbolism and Craftsmanship” has been included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List since 2010, these actions target a unique element of universal heritage that requires international protection and oversight.