Artsakh Tourism & Culture Development Agency’s post
On August 24, the day of remembrance of Artsakh Hero Ashot Gulyan (Bekor), we are compelled to record yet another cultural crime: the destruction of his monument in the center of Stepanakert.
The monument to Ashot Gulyan, created by the renowned Armenian sculptor Yuri Samvelyan, was erected in 1996 at his burial site in the park named after him. Earlier, the hero’s remains were reburied in his native village of Khndzristan, but today the condition of his grave remains unknown.
The destruction of monuments is not merely vandalism, but part of Azerbaijan’s systematic policy aimed at erasing the memory of heroes and the cultural identity of the people of Artsakh. Such actions grossly violate international conventions on the protection of cultural heritage and the rights of Artsakh Armenians to preserve memory, history, and to return to their homeland.
We must speak out loudly: Azerbaijan’s responsibility for the destruction of cultural heritage must be documented by the international community. At the same time, it must be stressed that the best protection of cultural heritage is the guarantee of the inalienable right of the people of Artsakh to return.
