On September 20 of this year, Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, visited Shushi, currently under Azerbaijani control, to attend the inauguration of the "Flag Square." This square was constructed in 2021 on the site of a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, which was destroyed by Azerbaijan (for further information regarding the destruction of the monument, please refer to the following link: https://monumentwatch.org/en/alerts/destruction-of-the-memorial-devoted-to-the-genocide-victims-in-shushi/). According to Azerbaijani media reports, a "Victory Museum," commemorating Azerbaijan's victory in the 44-day war, is planned to be built near the "Flag Square"  (https://t.me/bez_tor/53964?single&fbclid=IwY2xjawFbylNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHS5HBXTvESAr_Tvb1JDrtknxjGmekuRRMrM2RDYBySleYIBW2NBwlt2yAA_aem_GxfnM4y_QtPUnXkLAFZuxQ).

It is noteworthy that the new Shushi Mosque, symbolizing Azerbaijan's "triumph",  is currently under construction at this location. The foundation stone was laid by the President of Azerbaijan in May 2021 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAXPwmmIqmQ).

Following the conclusion of the 44-day war, Azerbaijani forces placed particular emphasis on the capture of Shushi, designating it as a "symbol of victory in the Karabakh liberation war." For this reason, the construction of these three complexes at the highest point of Shushi holds significant importance. These three structures, particularly the mosque and the museum, symbolise the destruction of Armenian Artsakh and the ethnic cleansing of its Armenian population.

Our response

Following the conclusion of the 44-day war, Azerbaijani forces placed particular emphasis on the capture of Shushi, designating it as a "symbol of victory in the Karabakh liberation war." For this reason, the construction of these three complexes at the highest point of Shushi holds significant importance. These three structures, particularly the mosque and the museum, symbolize the destruction of Armenian Artsakh and the ethnic cleansing of its Armenian population. In this context, it is evident that Azerbaijan, having destroyed and appropriated the cultural heritage of an entire community—thereby depriving it of the right to live and create its own identity-is now seeking to legitimize this act of appropriation both nationally and internationally. This action violates the fundamental cultural rights of the Armenian community, as defined in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf) and Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted in 1966, which enshrines the right of everyone to participate without hindrance in the cultural life of their community (https://www.humanium.org/en/1966-international-covenant/social-cultural-rights/).The alienation of the Armenian identity of the historic city of Shushi, once an important center of Armenian culture, clearly violates the fundamental principles of historicity, authenticity, and integrity of the city. These principles are derived from the Nara Document on the Authenticity of Cultural Heritage adopted in Japan in 1994 (https://www.icomos.org /charters/nara-e.pdf).