As we can clearly see on satellite images published on the Caucasus Heritage Watch website (https://caucasusheritage.cornell.edu/, Fig.1, https://caucasusheritage.cornell.edu/?p=1416 ), Azerbaijan destroyed the historic bridge built in 1835 and located 2 km southwest of Mets Tagher village in the occupied Hadrut region of the Republic of Artsakh and (Fig. 2). The building inscription engraved in Armenian testifies to its construction (Fig. 3). More about the bridge -  The bridge of Halivor – Monument Watch.

Our response

We can state that Azerbaijan continues to destroy traces of Armenians in the occupied regions of Artsakh, The Azerbaijani side is carrying out large-scale road construction and engineering work of a military nature on the territory of the occupied Hadrut region. They threaten numerous monuments of the Hadrut region, we have repeatedly mentioned -“The roads of Azerbaijan” and threats to the Armenian Cultural Heritage – Monument Watch, Destruction of the cemetery of Syghnakh – Monument Watch.

We find it necessary to recall that the first protocol of the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict prohibits the destruction of cultural or spiritual property in the occupied territories.

The Second Hague Protocol of 1999 confirms this requirement and qualifies such an act as an international crime in accordance with Article 15. Actions to destroy cultural property are also prohibited by four international conventions and protocols for the protection of victims of war, the laws and customs of war of Geneva of August 12 1949, as well as relevant UN resolutions and human rights conventions.