Monumentwatch.org, an organization that monitors cultural heritage in Artsakh, recently published an article titled “Monitoring of the Cultural Heritage of Karabakh” (Caucasus Heritage Watch). The article discusses the damage caused to the Monastery of St. Astvatsatsin of Meghradzor in the city of Shushi, which is currently occupied by Azerbaijan. Ongoing construction works have resulted in the alteration of the monastery’s architectural complex using old photographs dating back to 2023. It is important to note that construction in the Monastery of St. Astvatsatsin of Meghradzor was initiated in 1838 with funding from the Mahtesyan family. However, in the 1960s, the majority of the church’s volume was damaged by Azerbaijani authorities, and the church’s foundations were reconstructed in a modernist style, causing significant destruction to the Armenian quarter of Shushi and its monuments.

During the same period, other churches in the area such as the Khanjyan Church, the Surb Astvatsatsin Church, and the Aguletsots Cathedral also suffered damage and partial destruction. Within the Church of St. Astvatsatsin of Meghradzor itself, the walls and foundations were exposed, leading to further deterioration. In 2017, an archaeological expedition led by P.G. from Armenia’s “Historical Preservation of the Cultural Monumentary” Foundation and architect T.T. conducted studies within the church. The expedition removed an asbestos layer and exposed the church’s foundations through their research.

In light of the occupation of Shushi by Azerbaijan in November 2020, the country has continued to enact policies that aim to exterminate, destroy, and alienate the historical, cultural, and urban heritage of the Armenian population. The International Court of Justice’s ruling on December 7, 2021, in the case of “Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan),” obliges Azerbaijan to protect and prevent vandalism and destruction of Armenia’s cultural heritage, including its historical, architectural, cultural, religious, and ethnic values. The 1954 UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, specifically Article 4, emphasizes the importance of safeguarding cultural and spiritual values during times of armed conflict, categorizing the destruction of cultural heritage as a war crime. Moreover, the publication “Protection of Cultural Property during Armed Conflict” published by Monumentwatch.org in 2003 documents the actions against cultural and spiritual values.