Caucasus Heritage Watch is sounding the alarm about the ongoing destruction of Armenian churches in the Hadrut region of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and the violation of the International Court’s decision on the matter. Last year, after the 44-day war with Azerbaijan, the organization documented the complete destruction of the Armenian Church in the village of Mokrenes in the Hadrut region. Notably, the Armenian Church of Surp Sarkis, built in the 18th-19th centuries, was also included in their documentation. Shockingly, the vandalism against the Armenian Church of Surp Sarkis in Mokrenes has persisted despite the establishment of the Azerbaijani peacekeeping mission, with the organization continuing to gather evidence of the destruction of cultural and religious sites.

The organization is reminding Azerbaijan of its obligation to protect the Armenian cultural heritage and to refrain from erasing the Armenian cultural and religious life in Mokrenes. The main concern now is how the International Court of Justice will respond to these violations of its resolutions and the attempts to cover up these actions.

It is important to note that on December 7, 2021, the International Court of Justice issued a verdict ordering Azerbaijan to “stop destroying all necessary means to erase the cultural heritage of Armenia, including the deliberate destruction of Armenian cultural sites, including churches, monuments, archaeological sites, urban areas, gravesites, etc.”

Source: News from Armenia – NEWS.am