Azerbaijan has completely destroyed the memorial complex in the city of Martuni in Artsakh dedicated to the victims of the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945) and the Artsakh liberation struggle, Artak Mkrtchyan, a member of the Artsakh Rights Protection Council, wrote on his Facebook page, publishing photographs.

“Azerbaijan continues, at the state level, to destroy the Armenian cultural and historical heritage of Artsakh.

In the city of Martuni in Artsakh, it has completely demolished the memorial complex dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945) and the Artsakh liberation struggle.

This memorial complex was opened on May 7, 2007, as a symbol uniting the memory of heroes of different generations. Today, it no longer exists.

This is not vandalism. This is cultural genocide.

This is a deliberate policy aimed at erasing the Armenian trace, history and memory in Artsakh.

It is particularly cynical that in 2025, Azerbaijan was elected as a member of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, while the systematic destruction of cultural assets continues in the occupied territories.

The silence of the international community is turning into acquiescence.

The destruction of cultural heritage is also a crime. Monuments can be demolished, but the memory of a people cannot. History cannot be erased,” the post reads.

On February 23, a parliamentary inquiry titled “Erasing the Past: Destruction of Cultural Heritage” was launched in the UK Parliament, according to the Armenian National Committee of the United Kingdom.

The inquiry aims to examine cases of destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) since 2023, legal steps taken to date, and possible mechanisms to ensure justice and accountability. During the first session, Artak Beglaryan, President of the Artsakh Union and former Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh, delivered remarks.