Baku condemns Armenian vandalism against Azerbaijani graves

12:15 17 October 2022 Read: 496

Recently, videos of the destruction of Azerbaijani cemeteries by radical Armenians have been disseminated on social networks. These footages, where vandalism acts are committed against the graves of Azerbaijanis with insulting expressions, and gravestones are destroyed by trucks, are another clear example of the policy of destruction of Azerbaijani heritage carried out by Armenia for many years, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday, AzVision.az reports.

The statement reads: “As is known, Armenia, in addition to purposefully destroying the historical, cultural, and religious heritage of Azerbaijanis who have historically settled in its territory, has also caused unprecedented destruction in Karabakh and surrounding regions, which it occupied for nearly 30 years. Thus, Armenia destroyed historical and religious monuments, committed vandalism against cemeteries, and tried to erase the traces of Azerbaijanis in these areas completely. The facts related to the illegal activities carried out by Armenia, including the acts of urbicide, ecocide, and culturicide, which it authored, were collected and presented to international organizations.

"The Armenian population, who illegally settled in the territories of Azerbaijan, damaged the infrastructure, monuments, and the environment even when they left the territories of Azerbaijan after the end of the military operations. So far, no steps have been taken by the relevant bodies of Armenia towards preventing hate crimes and punishing criminals. It is because the policy of destroying Azerbaijani heritage is carried out at the state level in Armenia.

"It is deeply regrettable that the visit of the UNESCO mission to the region was prevented during the 30-year occupation period by Armenia and that the visit of the UNESCO mission has not yet taken place due to the destructive position of Armenia, even though Azerbaijan invited the mission to the region after liberating its territories.

"The disseminated footages clearly show why Armenia is not interested in the visit of the international mission to the region.

"These acts of vandalism committed by radical Armenians are a blow to the normalization process between the two states in the fragile post-conflict stage.

"On the part of Azerbaijan, the acts of vandalism footages of large destructions in the liberated areas are collected and documented accordingly, and appropriate steps are taken for the Armenian side to ansüer for these acts, including the damage caused.

"The international community should not be silent about the atrocities committed by Armenia not only against the heritage of Azerbaijan but also against the heritage of humanity."

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