PROTEST APPEAL To Diplomatic Missions Accredited in the Republic of Armenia
We, the undersigned civil society organizations and representatives from Artsakh, Armenia, and the Armenian Diaspora, express our strong protest against visits by foreign representatives to the territory of Artsakh, which is under Azerbaijani occupation, as well as against the impermissible public actions carried out during such visits.
Such visits cannot be regarded solely as private, tourist, or cultural activities.
They take place in a territory from which the indigenous Armenian population was forcibly displaced in September 2023, while Armenian historical and cultural heritage is being deliberately destroyed, altered, appropriated, and stripped of its Armenian identity.
Of particular concern are visits by foreign representatives to Stepanakert, Shushi, Gandzasar, Dadivank, and other sites of Armenian cultural and religious heritage, accompanied by public photographs and official statements without an adequate assessment of the situation of the displaced Armenian population and the catastrophic condition of its cultural heritage.
Read also
Such actions are actively used by Azerbaijan to create an impression of international recognition and acceptance of a policy seeking to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the unlawful use of force and ethnic cleansing.
We recall that on 7 December 2021, in the case of Armenia v. Azerbaijan, the International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to take all necessary measures to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration against Armenian cultural heritage, including acts targeting churches, places of worship, monuments, and cemeteries. The provisional measures indicated by the Court under Article 41 of the UN Charter are binding.
In this context, visits to Armenian heritage sites require due consideration of the relevant obligations under international law and the documented risks to their preservation.
In light of the above, we call upon diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Armenia to:
1. Provide an appropriate political and legal assessment of visits by their representatives to the territory of Artsakh occupied by Azerbaijan.
2. Request information regarding the purpose, format, and legal and ethical basis of such visits.
3. Refrain from participating in activities that may contribute to the international legitimization of Azerbaijan’s criminal policies towards Artsakh, its people, and Armenian cultural heritage.
4. When visiting Armenian cultural and religious sites, take into account their historical affiliation and the need to preserve their Armenian identity.
5. Raise with the Azerbaijani authorities the protection of Armenian churches, monasteries, monuments, cemeteries, museums, and other cultural heritage sites.
6. Demand Azerbaijan’s full and unconditional compliance with the obligations established by the International Court of Justice, as well as the implementation of the right of the forcibly displaced Armenian population of Artsakh to return to their places of residence safely, with dignity, and without discrimination.
7. Consistently raise and advocate, through appropriate diplomatic and international platforms, for the right of the forcibly displaced Armenian population of Artsakh to return to their homeland safely, with dignity, and without preconditions, as an integral component of their fundamental rights and of a just and lasting peace.
8. Consistently demand, through appropriate diplomatic and international platforms, that the Azerbaijani authorities ensure unhindered access to Artsakh for an independent UNESCO mission to assess the condition of Armenian cultural and religious heritage and prepare a professional report on its status.
9. Refrain from public actions that may be used to create an impression within the international community of recognition or acceptance of the consequences of the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh, or to circumvent or diminish the right of the forcibly displaced Armenian population to return.
We expect diplomatic missions to officially consider this appeal and promptly undertake appropriate diplomatic measures.
Hovik Avanesov, Cultural Heritage Ombudsman of Artsakh.
Sergey Shahverdyan, Artsakh Culture and Tourism Development Agency NGO
Armine Hayrapetyan , Artsakh Historic Environment Preservation Organization, Cultural Heritage Expert.
Artak Beglaryan, “Artsakh Union” NGO
Apres Margaryan, “Artsakh Culture Preservation Center” NGO
Raffi Kortoshian, “Research on Armenian Architecture” Foundation
Emma Abrahamyan, “Research on Armenian Architecture” Foundation
Artur Arzoyan, Association culturelle Union Franco-Arménienne (France)
Anna Leyloyan-Yekmalyan , ,,Hishatakaran,, NGO
Larisa Alaverdyan, Foundation Against the Violation of Law, First Human Rights Defender of Armenia
Davit Yeghiazaryan, “Return to Karvachar” NGO
Armine Martirosyan, «Tekeyan cultural union» Artsakh branch NGO
Yerazik Hayriyan, “Dizak ART” Cultural NGO
Anush Ghahramanyan, “Monteh-Avo” educational-cultural, social NGO
Margarita Karamyan, “Return to Dizak” NGO
Levon Hayryan, ,,For Hadrut,, NGO
Mher Harutyunyan, “Kachar” Scientific Center” NGO.
Hermine Avagyan, “Hamazgayin” Artsakh office
Hovhannes Ishkhanyan, “Eye for an Eye” Doc community NGO
Melanya Balayan, ՛՛Spiritual Artsakh” NGO,, Doctor of Historical Sciences,
Naira Hayrumyan, “MediaStep” NGO
Mariam Avagyan,”Krunk” NGO for the Protection of the Rights of Artsakh Armenians
Ira Tamrazyan, “Artsakh Artists Union” NGO
Armine Petrosyan, “Hayki Serund” Educational and Armenian- Preservation NGO
Taron Hakobyan, “Revived Motherland” NGO
Hasmik Mikayelyan, “Motherhood of Artsakh” NGO
Anahit Ghazanchyan, “Development Principles” NGO
Lernik Hovhannisyan, Artsakh Diocesan Council
Gayane Shagoyan, “Hazarashen” Armenian Center for Ethnological Studies, cultural anthropologist
Lilit Bleyan, “Muzanav” Cultural NGO, musician
Armenuhi Petrosyan, “Hay Santa” Charity Foundation
Alla Arzumanyan, “Askeran Development” Center NGO
Alvard Zakaryan, “ Bridge of Dialogue”NGO
Mariam Andreasyan, “Tnjre traditional song and dance ensemble” cultural, educational, community development and military-patriotic NGO
Abgar Apinyan, Chairman of the board of Pan-Armenian Writers Union
Avetik Chalabyan, coordinator of the “HayaQve” National Civil Union
Stepan Hasan-Jalalyan “Council of Hasan-Jalalyans” NGO
Bagrat Movsesyan, “National” Historical-Cultural NGO
Hasmik Mikaelyan, Artsakh “Maternity” NGO
Silva Margaryan, “From Artsakh to Artsakh” informational, analytical, investigational, advocacy center NGO
Sayida Poghosyan, „In ancestral steps“ Cultural NGO
Hovik Gasparyan,“Honored Artist of Artsakh’’ NGO
Zhanna Alexanyan, “Journalists For Human Rights” NGO
Vahram Balayan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor
Armen Sargsyan, Analyst, Cultural Heritage Expert
Sasun Danielyan, Photographer & Cultural Heritage Expert.
Manvel Sargsyan, political analyst
Lousine Terteryan, journalist
Mery Safaryan, archaeologist
Manushak Titanyan, architect
Ruzan Kharazyan, architect
Robert Askaryan, sculptor
Gayane Budaghyan, Artsakh Historic Environment Preservation Organization, Cultural Heritage Expert.
Zaruhi Muradyan, member of Artist union of Armenia
Lusine Gharakhanyan, Doctor of Sciences in Psychology
Grigori Sahakyan, Lecturer
Dr. Pietro A. Shakarian, Lecturer in History,American University of Armenia
Vardishagh Karapetyan, Doctor of Biological Sciences, ass.prof.,, Master of Folk Art.
Siranush Sargsyan, freelance journalist
Slava Sargsyan, Honored Worker of Culture, Cultural Heritage Expert
Armine Gulgulyan, engineer
Anahit Grigoryan, archaeologist
Avetik Aghabekyan, Cultural Heritage Expert
Aida Avetisyan, biologist, Armenian National Academy of Sciences
Hamest Tamrazyan, Pdh, Associate professor, philologist (Switzerland )
Violet Grigoryan, Writer
Narine Aghabekyan, MA, Political Science and International Affairs
Sargis Zeytunyan, Lecturer, American University of Armenia
Armine Sakhoyan, journalist
Loretta Abrahamyan, Historian
Gagik Avanesyan, Civil Engineer
Seda Grigoryan, Blue Shield Armenia
Ashot Melkonyan, Institute of History, Doctor of History, Professor, Academician of the NAS RA
Nina Karapetyants, lawyer
Gayane Avetisyan ,Lawyer
Gevorg Sargsyan, Painter
Vahan Savadyan, Mayor of Hadrut.
Marine Mkrtchyan, journalist
Gagik Khachatryan, Cultural Studies Specialist
Nelli Hakobyan, archivist
Davit Gyulzatyan, Lecturer of Vanadzor State University
Karen Khachatryan, Teacher
Roza Hovhannisyan, journalist
Vardan Tashchyan, Reserve Officer of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army, Lebanon
Sako Kassabian, Publisher. (Lebanon)
Rita Kasabian, English Language and Literature teacher, Lebanon
Haroutioun Khatchadourian, independent researcher on Armenian Heritage, France
Arpi Topchyan , Public figure.
Martik Gasparyan,. Forensic Expert; Member of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)
