The Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi is being dismantled by Azerbaijanis

Reports that Azerbaijan has set up a government commission to erase all Armenian traces from cultural monuments in Artsakh has elicited strong reaction from non-governmental circles in Armenia, with the country’s human rights defender, Arman Tatoyan, accusing Baku of inciting religious enmity on the state level by accusing Armenians of Islamophobia.

More than two dozen Armenia-based non-governmental organizations also reacted to the commission announced, saying in a statement that Baku’s actions are aimed at eliminating the Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh.

Explaining that Armenians have lived and thrived in many Islamic countries, Tatoyan said on Monday Azerbaijan’s policies also are aimed at inciting hostility toward Armenians living in those countries. He went as far as to cite an Islamic decree from prophet Muhammed who in 626 pledged to protect the Holy Tomb of Christ in Jerusalem, as well as churches and monasteries in “Jerusalem, Damascus and Arab region,” including St. Hakobyants Monastery in Jerusalem, educational institutions and property. Islam’s prophet made the decree after visiting the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

“In Artsakh, for example, the Upper and Inner Mosques of Shushi remained standing and were preserved. the Upper Mosque and the building of the madrasa—a school—were completely renovated, and a park was built. There is a functioning mosque in Yerevan,” said Tatoyan to illustrate the respect Armenians have shown toward Islamic structures and facilities.

“Instead, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed and desecrated the Ghazanchetsots and Kanach Zham churches in Shushi, destroyed the Zoravor Surb Astvatsatsin Church in Mekhakavan in Artsakh, or desecrated the St. Yeghishe Church in Mataghis, destroyed Armenian khachkars in Shush, Hadrut,” said Tatoyan adding that the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church in Baku has been desecrated, turned into a library archive. “The cross has been lowered from the dome, there is no tabernacle, the tombstones that were adjacent to the church have been destroyed,” said Tatoyan.

The human rights defender warned that Azerbaijan’s decision are politically motivated and pose succinct threat to effort to achieve peace in the region. He accused official Baku of deliberately erasing all Armenian traces from churches and monasteries, adding that this hatred is manifested by the manner in which Armenian captives have been tortured due to their religious affiliation.

The more that two dozen organizations called on the Armenia’s prime minister and authorities to take decisive action against Azerbaijan’s “policy of ethnic cleansing by destroying traces of Armenians.”

“Unfortunately, the Armenian authorities do not give an adequate response to the policy of ethnic cleansing and cultural genocide committed by Aliyev,” said the organizations, urging the Armenia government to report that Azerbaijan is not complying with special measures applied by International Court of Justice “in order to prevent the irreversible loss of the Armenian cultural heritage.” They also called on Armenia’s authorities to urge the United Nations to visit Artsakh and document the current state of Armenian monuments.

“On December 7, 2021, the International Court of Justice demanded that Azerbaijan take the necessary measures to prevent all acts of vandalism committed against the Armenian cultural heritage and punish those responsible,” said the NGOs in their statement.