Armenian Genocide memorial in Stepanakert destroyed

Caucasus Heritage Watch (CHW) has determined that the Armenian Genocide memorial in Stepanakert, Artsakh, has been destroyed by Azerbaijan.

Erected on the 100th anniversary of the 1915 atrocities, the white marble bell tower once housed a reliquary containing human remains from Der Zor, the Syrian desert town where hundreds of thousands of Armenians perished.

Satellite imagery from Airbus and Planet shows that the monument, as well as an associated memorial complex, were destroyed between July 14, 2025, and April 25, 2026.

“This cannot be considered an isolated incident,” said Hovik Avanesov, Artsakh’s cultural heritage ombudsman and vice president of the National Historical-Cultural NGO. “It is a deliberate act aimed at erasing historical memory and Armenian identity.”

Avanesov emphasized that the demolition violates international conventions protecting cultural heritage, including those under UNESCO. He warned that the lack of accountability encourages repetition of such acts.

Avanesov noted that the removal carries significant political and ideological weight, aimed at reshaping the historical narrative of the territory by erasing Armenian traces. He described the act as a form of cultural genocide, targeting not only physical monuments but also collective memory.