On 2 September 2025, coinciding with the Independence Day of the Republic of Artsakh, Azerbaijani authorities commenced the demolition of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in the center of Stepanakert. This action carries not only political and symbolic significance but is also aimed at erasing the historical memory and cultural heritage of Artsakh. The demolition was accompanied by the dissemination of photo and video materials (https://t.me/bez_tor/67539?single&fbclid=IwY2xjawMkF2ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETA3aHBaUFp2ZVpNUnZ6NFVoAR7QMFaL7LxYRNBglscK755eztG5gYaAnqYaR7vECr2a-xMRgr4fIM9c4Vsb_A_aem_zNk1RvIT0ry6G14mD-FycA), demonstrating the deliberate and planned nature of the action.

The MFA building, located in the city center, represented an important element of Artsakh’s institutional memory and a symbol of political independence. It should be noted that the building was a significant architectural structure, constructed in the 1950s and included in the list of protected monuments of the Republic of Artsakh. Azerbaijan’s actions violate fundamental provisions of international humanitarian law and a number of international conventions. Primarily, they contravene the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Second Protocol of 1999, which prohibit the deliberate destruction or damage of cultural property. Furthermore, the demolition violates the 1972 UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which obliges states to preserve historical sites on their territory regardless of political circumstances. The actions also violate the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as buildings of state institutions carry symbolic and identity value, as well as the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which obliges states to respect and protect the historical memory and cultural heritage of indigenous peoples. Thus, the demolition of the Artsakh MFA building should be regarded not only as an instrument of political pressure but also as an act of cultural genocide aimed at eradicating all traces of Armenian presence and identity in Artsakh.