Up to 3,000 monuments, including over 700 historical monuments, 22 museums (100,000 artifacts), 927 libraries (4.6 million books, including a variety of rare manuscripts), 58 archaeological sites, 26 fortresses and other properties representing Azerbaijani cultural heritage were destroyed, looted or illegally appropriated during the Armenian occupation of Karabakh and neighboring regions of Azerbaijan in the period 1992-2020. It is not surprising that many valuable objects representing Azerbaijani cultural heritage eventually ended up at auctions such as Sotheby's.
In cities such as Agdam, Fizuli, Jabrail and Zangilan, the policy of destruction went even further, resulting in complete urbicide. These cities were systematically looted and destroyed, preventing the immediate return of the displaced Azerbaijani communities. Aghdam, once a thriving center during the Soviet era, was completely reduced to ruins, earning it the tragic nickname "the Hiroshima of the South Caucasus." During the decades-long aggression against Azerbaijan, the occupying forces not only fought against the local population through mass murder and ethnic cleansing, but also caused irreparable damage to the cultural and historical heritage of Azerbaijan. The so-called archaeological excavations in the "Azakh" cave in Azerbaijan have been conducted illegally for many years by the occupying forces in gross violation of international humanitarian law. Located in the then Armenian separatist-occupied Khojavand region of Azerbaijan, this complex of six caves is known as a habitat of prehistoric people, as a Neanderthal-like jawbone was discovered there, which is believed to be more than 300,000 years old and is therefore one of the oldest prehistoric human remains ever found.
The appropriation of Azerbaijani heritage has taken place not only in the former occupied territories of Azerbaijan, but also in modern Armenia, where no Azerbaijanis live today. This is due to the forced deportation of some 350,000 Azerbaijanis in the late 1980s as part of a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing.
The destruction and deliberate desecration of historical and cultural monuments in the former occupied territories of Azerbaijan constitutes a gross violation of numerous international treaties, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the 1992 European Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage, and the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
The 1954 Hague Convention explicitly obliges its signatories to refrain from the deliberate destruction of cultural property or its use for military purposes. During the 30 years of occupation, Azerbaijan repeatedly appealed to the international community to address the damage and assess the state of its cultural heritage in the occupied territories. However, Armenia has obstructed efforts to conduct fact-finding missions, including those of UNESCO.
Azerbaijan is home to hundreds of thousands of Christians, including followers of the Armenian Gregorian Church. Despite the damage done to its own cultural heritage in the recently occupied territories and that located in present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan has restored the Armenian Church of St. Gregory in Baku and placed it under state protection.
Cultural sites preserve the history of communities and help bring about healing and reconciliation. By respecting shared heritage, communities can overcome divisions and work together for a better future. Efforts to protect them do more than preserve the past; they promote dialogue, understanding, and a sense of connection between different cultures and histories.