US CONGRESSMEN PRESENTED FACTS OF DEMOLITION OF ANCIENT ARMENIAN KHACHKARS IN OLD JUGHA BY AZERI TROOPS

2007-11-28 23:51:00

ArmInfo. US Congressmen got an opportunity to gain knowledge of the
chronology of demolition of ancient Armenian khachkars (cross-stones)
in Old Jugha by Azerbaijani troops.

The Coordinator of the Yerevan Office of the Research on Armenian
Architecture NGO (RAA), Samvel Karapetyan told ArmInfo correspondent
that the US Office of the RAA distributed copies of the documentary
"Jugha" among congressmen. The film presents facts of demolition
of over 2 thousand monuments in 2005 by Azerbaijani military men. A
total of 2 thousand copies of the film’s English version were spread
in the United States. According to preliminary data, the documentary
will have officially been released by spring 2008 in 5 languages:
Armenian, Russian, English, French and Turkish.

S.Karapetyan said that practically the first show of the film in
Armenia, then in Strasbourg produced an effect of an exploded bomb. In
particular, a number of the deputies of the European Parliament openly
stated about the barbarian policy of Azerbaijan. S.Karapetyan added
that the work over shooting of documentaries also covering the problem
of demolition of cultural monuments is currently continuing. To recall,
in 2007 film director Tigran Karapetyan was awarded a President’s
Prize for the "Jugha".

The town of Jugha in the historic district of Yernjak was a large trade
center in Armenia in the 15th-17th centuries. However, in 1605 the
town was completely destroyed by Shah Abbas, and the whole population
forcibly moved to Persia. According to historians, stonemasons of
Jugha created their own style of stone carving, which served a basis
for creation of a new school and new stage in the art of khachkars.