On June 2, 2025, in an interview with the media, Elchin Yusubov—Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Karabakh—noted that, as part of construction and "restoration" works, buildings "illegally erected during the Armenian occupation" are being demolished and dismantled. He stated that these structures "do not conform to Azerbaijan's architectural norms or style" and were built with poor artistry and in violation of construction standards (https://t.me/bez_tor/64728?fbclid=IwY2xjawKqn5NleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETAzVzNIVjZ6d2tEYnVmaVZUAR7EoMJDgpBCXZPmgt6elsHERkuNUr01Lc-91_LOnU5CH6xzVqHnHWbBDa5Omw_aem_MR4XvQUFWDJzQRKA5y1hnQ).

After roughly a year of widespread destruction, the Azerbaijani side has finally attempted to explain why a significant portion of Stepanakert has been razed—namely, the thousands of homes built by Artsakh's inhabitants on their ancestral land—branding them as illegal "occupier constructions." Strikingly, even pre-Soviet and Soviet-era villas, apartment blocks, and entire neighborhoods have been designated "occupational," despite having stood for decades.

What is particularly telling is that, for the Azerbaijani authorities, the mere label of "occupational" serves as justification for the destruction of any Armenian-built structure. By contrast, the residential complexes erected during the Republic of Artsakh years are being preserved, repurposed, repopulated, and then proclaimed "newly constructed." For example, one Stepanakert district has been converted into a student dormitory complex. At the same time, the city's cultural buildings and schools—after only minor renovations—are being presented as brand-new or entirely rebuilt. It is also notable that on various social media platforms, processes have begun to demolish Stepanakert's churches and erect mosques in their place, with two of the city's churches explicitly targeted as "occupational structures" (https://t.me/bez_tor/64743?single).

Our Response

Under sub-paragraph (g) of Article 9 of the Second Protocol (1999) to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, any alteration of the form or use of cultural property intended to conceal or destroy its cultural, historical, or scientific testimony is prohibited. To preserve heritage means to ensure its inviolability and integrity—which encompasses the community itself—and to safeguard its authenticity, significance, integrity, and uniqueness. These principles are derived from UNESCO's World Heritage Convention, the doctrines of ICOMOS, and the founding documents of other international organizations.