Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Boosting Iran-Armenia economic cooperation to enhance political ties – official

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia –


, 15:56

 1 minute read

Continuous cooperation between Iran and Armenia in the fields of trade and economy will lead to bolstering of political relations of both sides, Head of Chabahar Trade Zone Nasrollah Ebrahimi said at a meeting with Arsen Avakian, the new Ambassador of Armenia to Iran, adding that over 30-years-long diplomatic ties between the two countries have been based on fraternal relations, Mehr News Agency reports.

Chabahar has welcomed investors from all across the world, he said, noting that neighboring states, undoubtedly, are a top priority to this end.

Terming Chabahar as a center of international communication, he said that the Trade Zone is not subject to economic sanctions.

Arsen Avakian, for his part, elaborated on his country’s main objectives pertaining to the current visit and said that evaluating Chabahar’s capacity and infrastructure for investment is the main goal of the trip to Iran.

“The second goal is to develop relations between India, Iran and Armenia,” he further noted.

Aparan police chief sacked after fatal shooting

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Panorama
Armenia –

The police chief of the Aparan region in Armenia’s Aragatsotn Province, Ashot Hayrapetyan, has been dismissed following the fatal shooting on Sunday, which left two people dead and five others wounded.

He has been replaced by Rafayel Poghosyan, the official police website revealed.

In a statement on Monday, the Investigative Committee said the shooting in the village of Nigavan was sparked by a dispute between a group of people.

The law enforcement agency said late on Saturday a 32-year-old Yerevan resident, who was driving his brother’s car in the town of Aparan, honked the car horn to alert the driver of a passing Infiniti vehicle, then drove around and stopped it.

Afterwards, the man and his brother engaged in a verbal dispute with the driver about yielding the right of way. Several residents of Aparan intervened in the conversation, which turned into a heated argument and continued in the outskirts of the town.

Later on Sunday, the 32-year-old Yerevan man, his brother and several other individuals went to the area near a petrol station in Aparan, where they met one of the disputants and beat him.

The conflict continued at an area near the garbage dump in Nigavan village, where the 32-year-old man, who had a gun, fired it at his opponents. As a result, seven victims were taken to different medical centers, were two of them died.

The shooter has been arrested. A probe into the further circumstances of the incident is underway.

HRW: Opinion | High stakes for Armenian democracy in rights defender’s trial

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Published in:https://oc-media.org/opinions/opinion-high-stakes-for-armenian-democracy-in-rights-defenders-trial/
Anahit Chilingaryan

The case against Sashik Sultanyan is based on bogus charges of ‘inciting ethnic hatred’. If the Yazidi human rights defender is convicted, it could have a chilling effect on the work of all rights defenders in Armenia. 

Public engagement is a key tool human rights defenders everywhere use to try to influence governments to be more rights-friendly. Sometimes it is the only tool we have. This also means publicly criticising the authorities, and in a democracy, the officials are required to tolerate it.

But little did Sashik Sultanyan, a human rights defender in Armenia, know that a conversation he had two years ago with a journalist criticising the authorities for their rights record, would become the basis of a criminal prosecution against him. 

The stakes are high in Sultanyan’s trial, which I’ve been observing since hearings started in November. Sultanyan has led a group working to protect the country’s Yazidi minority community, of which he is a member. He’s been under investigation since October 2020 on charges of inciting ethnic hatred, based on an article published in June 2020 that quoted him criticising alleged discrimination faced by Armenia’s Yazidi community. 

If convicted, he could face up to six years in prison. 

But the damage would be even higher for Armenia’s democracy, as Sultanyan’s conviction would be likely to have a chilling effect on free speech and possibly on human rights activism throughout the country.   

The article quoted Sultanyan alleging that Yazidis in Armenia cannot study their language or develop their culture and that they are underrepresented in local government. He also said that Armenians had seized Yazidi property, that authorities do not protect their rights, and that Yazidis live ‘in fear’.

These views fall completely within the boundaries of legitimate speech protected under international law. 

Regardless of whether Sultanyan’s discrimination claims are accurate, the opinion he expressed in 2020 was legitimate speech. Meanwhile, the fact that the prosecutor dismissed out of hand the notion that there is any ethnic discrimination against Yazidis in Armenia does not inspire confidence that state officials diligently investigate discriminatory practices. 

The authorities should have dropped the case against Sultanyan long ago, as experts from the Council of Europe and the United Nations have urged them to do 

The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed by Narek Malyan, the leader of the VETO Movement, a radical right-wing group that has built a reputation for aggressive hostility against human rights defenders and the Open Society Foundations in Armenia in particular. The latter antagonism appears to be linked to intense hostility among far-right groups around the world against the supposedly nefarious actions of Hungarian-born philanthropist George Soros, who founded the Open Society Foundations (OSF).

The evidence that I heard the prosecutor present at the trial leaves little doubt that the incitement charges are a flimsy cover for an ulterior motive behind the prosecution, where the apparent aim of the complaint was to discredit rights defenders and in particular those that get funding from the OSF. The prosecution, it seems, is indulging this approach. 

For example, the prosecutor played a recording from a 2020 news conference held by Narek Malyan, jointly with an ethnic Yazidi, who said that Sultanyan believed all was fine for Yazidis in Armenians until he received funding from the Open Society Foundations – Armenia in 2019. Yet in fact, Sultanyan has been advocating for Yazidi rights in and beyond Armenia since 2013, and in 2018 founded the Yezidi Center for Human Rights, a nongovernmental group. 

During the trial, the prosecutor implied that national minorities, especially Yazidis, do not face discrimination in Armenia and that Sultanyan was biased and sought to hoodwink Yazidis into believing otherwise. As evidence, he played for the court phone conversations between Sultanyan and his colleagues and friends. In one, Sutanyan talks about a village where Yazidis live relatively prosperously; in another, a colleague says that there are some Yazidis who criticise Sultanyan’s work. The prosecutor also used a public speech Sultanyan made about Yazidi rights in Armenia at an international human rights forum in September 2019. 

Among the other evidence that the prosecutor presented was a piece of paper the investigation found in Sultanyan’s documents, which had the word ‘discrimination’ circled and listed examples of possible discrimination against Yazidis. It is hard to know what this piece of evidence was supposed to prove. 

The fact is that Armenia has been struggling to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law for almost a decade. Although discrimination is banned under Armenia’s Constitution, there is no legislation that defines equality standards, ensures safeguards against discrimination in education, and provides for awareness-raising, adequate protection, monitoring, and procedural safeguards for people at risk of discrimination. 

While the momentum for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation was renewed in 2019, the process has stalled again. The pending anti-discrimination bill package includes both the anti-discrimination law and a Law on National Minorities, to ensure the rights of national and ethnic minorities in Armenia. 

‘I wanted to fight discrimination, and I thought the state would back me on this’, Sultanyan told me before the hearing. ‘Who thought it would turn into this?’ 

It’s not too late for the authorities to withdraw the bogus charges against Sultanyan. Instead of wasting resources on this case, they should act to protect lawful speech and protect people from discrimination. A good place to start would be speeding up the adoption of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, with adequate, effective protection for everyone. 

https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/21/opinion-high-stakes-armenian-democracy-rights-defenders-trial

In general, enabling environment for rights to assembly, freedom of speech ensured and respected – Ombudswoman

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

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 13:06,

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, Ms. Kristinne Grigoryan made a video statement during the interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on peaceful assembly held within the framework of the 50th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Office of the Ombudswoman said.

In her statement Defender Grigoryan reflected on the unique challenges for the rights and freedoms generated as a consequence of COVID-19 pandemic measures, including the emergency situation regime as well as the war in 2020 and declared martial time, followed by early parliamentary elections in 2021.

Ms. Kristinne Grigoryan emphasized that, despite the post-war traumatic ambiance created a special environment for political and non-political assemblies with vivid dominance of polarization and hate-speech in public discourse, in general, the enabling environment for the rights to assembly as well as freedom of speech have been ensured and respected.

Presenting the work carried out by the Human Rights Defender’s Office, the Defender noted that the Office continues to closely monitor all the assemblies and rallies, the rapid response groups are holding private interviews with apprehended persons, the regular and social media are monitored, the 24/7 hot line provides advice and support. The Office register the violations, reveal the gaps in conduct of Law enforcement, request clarifications and provide recommendations.

Summarizing her speech, the Defender referred to the following remaining challenges: lack of tailored crowd control trainings, insufficient guidance and clear SOPs for Police, including on proportionate use of force and dialogue, almost absence of female police officers, hateful rhetoric by the side of public actors, as well as lack of understanding on rules of democratic game by organizers of assemblies.

Artsakh conflict the most complicated conflict in the world – FM Babayan

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

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 14:39,

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. The issue of the status of Artsakh is very complicated because this conflict is the most complicated conflict in the world, Foreign Minister of Artsakh Davit Babayan told reporters at the permanent representation of Artsakh in Armenia, adding that one needs to be realistic because the comprehensive settlement of the Artsakh issue is still a matter of the distant future.

“Therefore, we must keep and preserve Artsakh with all possible means. All opportunities exist: even if there is no comprehensive settlement, Artsakh will maintain its status as a de facto independent, sovereign country until we see what happens next. Azerbaijan claims that Artsakh does not exist at all, but we and the international structures say the opposite”, the Artsakh FM said.

Artak Zakaryan: ‘Nikolism’ must be rooted out in Armenia and Artsakh

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Panorama
Armenia –


Artak Zakaryan, a former deputy defense minister and a member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Executive Body, reiterated the need for the ouster of Nikol Pashinyan and his cabinet.

“The [resistance] movement continues its struggle. Through the change of power, the country will restore its security, lasting peace, public solidarity and the well-being of its citizens. Lies, falsifications, ignorance mixed with profanity as well as defeatist politics must be completely eliminated from our country,” he wrote on Facebook.

“Armenians have always been and will remain a dignified and deferential people. Servility is inherent only to capitulators. But we are not like them, we reject political and domestic ignorance, illiteracy, wretchedness, envy, gluttony and betrayal.

“Those in power must be moral. Immoral authorities have brought common good, justice, solidarity or peace in no country. Nikolism, which has formed an immoral regime, must be eradicated in Armenia and Artsakh,” Zakaryan said.

Armenian, Qatari PMs meet in Doha: documents signed with meeting results

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

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 16:06,

YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of Qatar, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz al-Thani, the PM’s Office said.

During their meeting following the official welcoming ceremony, the Qatari PM attached importance to the official visit of the Armenian PM and highlighted the need for multilateral cooperation between the two friendly countries. He expressed confidence that the mutual partnership between the Armenian and Qatari governments will reach a new level with the results of this visit.

In his turn PM Pashinyan said that the political dialogue between Armenia and Qatar is at a high level, emphasizing the need for boosting the economic ties. Pashinyan attached importance to the development and deepening of business ties and invited the representatives of the Qatari business community to Armenia to discuss with Armenian businessmen the possibilities and prospects of implementing joint investment programs.

The Armenian and Qatari PMs discussed also a broad range of issues relating to the development of cooperation in economy, IT, agriculture, transportation infrastructure, trade turnover, aviation communication and tourism sectors.

Based on the meeting results, a number of documents were signed between the two sides at the presence of the Armenian and Qatari PMs. Particularly, Armenian Deputy PM Hambardzum Matevosyan and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Than signed a memorandum of understanding on holding political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries, as well as a memorandum of understanding on exchange of news between Armenpress state news agency and the Qatar News Agency.

Cooperation agreements were signed also in the fields of education, research, healthcare, as well as an agreement on declaring sister cities between Yerevan and Doha.

Photos by Gevorg Perkuperkyan




EP should have clearly criticized Turkey’s destructive role in Karabakh conflict – EAFJD

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Panorama
Armenia –

The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) issued a statement on the adoption of the annual progress report on Turkey by the European Parliament on Tuesday. The full statement is provided below.

“The European Parliament (EP) adopted its annual progress report on Turkey. As in the past 6 years, the EP calls on Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide, referring to its resolution adopted on 15 April 2015 on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide.

Thus, the European Parliament:

– urges Turkey to commit to a genuine reconciliation between the Turkish and Armenian peoples, including settling the dispute about the Armenian Genocide and fully comply with its obligations to protect Armenian and other cultural heritage;

– calls on the EU and its Member States to examine the possibility of banning the right-wing extremist movement “Grey Wolves” in EU countries;

– urges Turkish authorities to increase their efforts to effectively address the dire situation of Armenians and other minorities in the country;

– is concerned that Turkey’s foreign policy in recent years contradicts the common goals of the EU’s foreign and security policy, especially with regard to the Caucasus;

– considers that Turkey is persistently further from EU values and standards.

The EAFJD welcomes the EP report, in particular, the aspect concerning the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Nevertheless, the EAFJD considers that the European Parliament should have clearly criticized Turkey’s destructive role in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as it did in its last year’s report.

While evaluating the process of the ongoing dialogue between Turkey and Armenia, the EP and the EU should urge Turkey to refrain from putting any preconditions, in particular, relating the process of the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and thus serving the interest of the third party , i.e. Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, until now the Turkish intentions during a dialogue have been either an imitation and or aimed at imposing its own will – a process which has little to do with genuinely coming to terms with its own past .

We will continue keeping these issues in the focus of our attention.”

Sports: Devoid of ideas in Yerevan, Ireland are authors of their downfall in Armenia

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
June 5 2022

Worrying crossover with World Cup nightmares as Stephen Kenny’s men lack subtlety to unlock home side

Daniel McDonnell

Armenia 1, Republic of Ireland 0

A minute before the hour mark at Yerevan’s Republican Stadium, an injury to an Armenian player opened up the opportunity for an additional water break. Green shirts showed urgency to get to the sidelines, keen for hydration in the conditions. Only a handful of Armenians wandered towards the physio to do the same. It was an informative response.

This isn’t a build-up to arguing that the weather was the reason for Ireland’s difficulties here. Yes, it would be disingenuous to rule out the 33-degree heat as a factor, but Seamus Coleman had stressed on the eve of the game that it wouldn’t function as an acceptable excuse.

What was more telling was that Stephen Kenny and his assistant Keith Andrews were keen to get in another team talk, whereas the natives seemed content with the state of play. Their coach, Joaquín Caparrós, said they had a good discussion at half-time to understand where they could improve after offering little before that. “Football consists of two halves and not one half,” said the experienced Spaniard.

His position looked to be in jeopardy after a nine-goal drubbing at the hands of Norway in March. The 66-year-old was applauded going into his press conference.

Kenny’s face wore the story of frustration, a familiar feeling he was hoping to leave behind. On the eve of the game, he took issue with Ireland’s 2020 Nations League record being raised, a window where a decimated squad with Covid problems toiled in empty stadiums. He had no such problems this time, yet there were parallels in terms of the bottom line. More worryingly, there was a crossover with the World Cup nightmares at home to Luxembourg and Azerbaijan.

Ireland had more possession and completed 312 more passes than the hosts, but faced with a conservative approach, they weren’t cute enough to pick open the locks. Innovation against strong sides indicated things were trending in the right direction, but it will count for nothing without a killer instinct.

The Nations League is Ireland’s safety net if regular qualification goes awry, and it’s also a method to secure a better seeding. If the last dozen games reflected a step forward, this was two back. Kenny admitted his team’s beginning to the second half was a source of concern and said he will accept criticism. He’s got a job on his hands to lift his players for Wednesday’s Ukraine clash. This is another test of this group’s resolve and will reignite the factional debate about the manager, which had threatened to subside with the awarding of a new contract.

In some respects, Ireland’s first-half performance could be explained through the contribution of Nathan Collins. On his competitive debut, the Burnley defender was one of the visiting starters with no excuse for rustiness, given he was active right up until the end of the Premier League season.

Yet he was guilty of sloppy touches in an early spell that set the tone as it became clear that Armenia were prepared to sit deep and defend in a back five, a strategy Kenny was not expecting, saying it had only appeared once in the homework on their last 20 games. “They always played 4-4-2 and we found it difficult to break them down,” he said.

Under minimal pressure, Ireland succeeded in passing themselves into trouble and Caoimhín Kelleher was called to action from a Tigran Barseghyan snapshot. From another Collins misplaced pass, Shane Duffy went into the book for a rash challenge. Self-inflicted pain.

Yet as the half progressed, Ireland’s back three spent more time around the halfway line, enjoying plenty of time on the ball and calm touches from Collins to cut out potential counters illustrated his confidence. With the Armenians providing little threat, Ireland required subtlety to break down a narrow low block of red shirts.

Chances were created with Jeff Hendrick, who later faded, having his eye in as regards slotting through balls. Callum Robinson twice could have profited from his vision with the West Brom forward, out of action since May 7, with his last start coming on April 15, lacking sharpness when it mattered, although he was unlucky when a shot from a Chiedozie Ogbene cut back was turned behind.

Troy Parrott, the other member of the front three, drifted in and out of the match, yet this was another one of those Irish internationals where the absence of a natural attacking playmaking number ten was evident. Ogbene missed a free header before the break, another sign of potential Armenian vulnerability; Ireland just needed to expose it more regularly.

   

From the restart, there was no real additional penetration. There were isolated moments of opportunity without being of enough significance to concern the unconvincing netminder David Yurchenko. Ogbene, a major threat in previous outings on the road, was rarely able to get on the shoulder of the last man because the centre halves sat back. Surprise packages only hold that status for so long; Armenia were capable of reading Irish intentions.

Warning signs were flashing. A correct offside flag chalked off a Tigran Barseghyan left footer from inside the area, yet minutes later he was allowed to curl another narrowly wide. Kenny sprung Obafemi for Parrott, dropping Robinson deeper and later went for James McClean and Jason Knight in place of Stevens and Robinson. Obafemi’s introduction was eagerly awaited but he looked like a new signing finding his feet.

More significantly, when Armenia did advance forward, the Irish structure appeared shaky with space between lines.

The ball was worked to Eduard Sperstyan, a Russian based talent viewed locally as the heir to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was given ample time to unleash the shot that arrowed a way past Kelleher.

Ireland had 15 minutes to react and Will Keane and Alan Browne were chucked into the mix while Ogbene assumed the departed Coleman’s position at wing back and the cross count stacked up. Alas it was frantic rather than calculated and Armenia, in keeping with the entire match, were content to absorb pressure and gamble on Ireland being devoid of ideas.

It was the right call.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/devoid-of-ideas-in-yerevan-ireland-are-authors-of-their-downfall-in-armenia-41721533.html

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Asbarez: State Dept. Echoes Europe’s Concerns About Future of Armenian Landmarks in Artsakh

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
by Asbarez Staff

 

 June 3, 2022

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

In its report, the State Department specifically mentions Dadivank, the 4th century monastery that fell under Azerbaijani occupation


In its 2021 Report on International Religious Freedoms issued on Thursday, the U.S. State Department echoed concerns legislated by a European body about the threat facing Armenian churches, monasteries and other cultural landmarks that have fallen under Azerbaijani occupation since the end of military actions in the 2020 war.

In its report on Azerbaijan, the State Department cites a resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) relating to the humanitarian consequences of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, where PACE expressed its concerns about the future of the many Armenian churches, monasteries, including the Dadivank monastery, cross-stones and other forms of cultural heritage that came under the control of Azerbaijan.

The State Department report says that the Azerbaijani government has repeatedly denied access to the Armenian pilgrims to the Dadivank monastery. Azerbaijanis continued to be unable to visit many mosques and religious sites due to mine contamination from the fighting, it added.
The State Department report also cited the PACE resolution which expressed “concern about a developing narrative in Azerbaijan promoting a ‘Caucasian Albanian’ heritage to replace what is seen as an ‘Armenian’ cultural heritage.”  

“There were numerous reports during the year of vandalism and destruction of Armenian cultural and religious sites, as well as deliberate actions by the government to sever and distort the connection of religious sites to their Armenian heritage”, the State Department said in the report.

On September 27, PACE adopted a resolution condemning the damage “deliberately caused to cultural heritage during the 6-week war, and what appeared to be the deliberate shelling of the [Holy Savior Cathedral] in Shusha and the destruction or damage of other churches and cemeteries during and after the conflict.” 

“Government actions and rhetoric stating churches were “Caucasian Albanian” prompted international observers, Armenian officials, civil society representatives, and the Armenian Apostolic Church to express grave concerns about the preservation of Armenian ties to historical and religious sites now under Azerbaijani control,” said the State Department.

Below are excerpts from the report

On May 4, the [Azerbaijan’s] Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated the Azerbaijani-funded reconstruction of the Holy Savior Cathedral in Shusha was “in accordance with the original architectural style in order to restore the historical image of Shusha” and attributed renovations of the site to reflect “Caucasian Albanian” heritage. 

Armenian officials said such statements attempted to conceal the church’s Armenian roots and structure, including the original spire.  In a letter to UNESCO, Armenia’s acting Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Vahram Dumanyan accused Azerbaijan of actively implementing “a policy of falsification of historical facts” by calling the sites of Armenian cultural heritage in newly returned territory “Caucasian-Albanian.”  On September 27, Caucasus Heritage Watch (CHW) reported the Azerbaijani government embarked on an extensive campaign after the November 2020 ceasefire to claim Armenian heritage sites either do not exist or have “Caucasian Albanian” origins.

Following the November 2020 ceasefire, leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church requested Russian peacekeepers protect the medieval Dadivank Monastery in the district of Kelbajar.  The government initially allowed Armenian pilgrims to visit the church, but access became increasingly difficult throughout the year. 

According to media reports and Armenian Apostolic Church authorities, two groups of pilgrims were denied access to the monastery in February and April; Forum 18 reported in July that no Armenian pilgrims had been able to visit the monastery since May 2. 

Azerbaijani authorities cited COVID-19, flooding, and road damage as reasons for denying access to groups of pilgrims who were ready with Russian peacekeeper escorts to visit the monastery, according to the Armenian Apostolic Church.  By year’s end, in addition to the monastery, no Armenian pilgrims had been permitted visits to any religious site in Azerbaijani-controlled territory (where no Russian peacekeepers were present) since May 2.

CHW’s June and September reports identified other religious and historical sites under the government’s control that were destroyed, damaged, or under the threat of destruction due to proximate construction.  CHW reported the complete destruction of Mets Tagher Cemetery, an inscribed stone of Holy Savior Cathedral, and the Sghnakh Cemetery. 

CHW also reported damage to the Holy Savior Cathedral, St. John the Baptist Church (Kanach Zham), Surb Meghretsots Church, and Shushi Northern Cemetery.  According to CHW, the following religious sites were threatened by nearby large-scale construction projects:  Saint Astvatatsin Church, Vankasar Church, and Amenaprkich Church.  In addition, CHW reported the destruction of the 18th century Aygek Mosque as a result of the construction of the Khudafarin-Gubadli-Lachin road along the Hakari/Aghavno River valley, following the November ceasefire.

CHW said it was concerned about the government’s reconstruction of the St. John the Baptist Church (also known as Kanach Zham/Green Church) located in Shusha.  Footage after the November 2020 ceasefire showed partial destruction of the dome and bell tower of the church.  According to a CHW analysis, the church previously had two cupolas; the analysis cited a February image taken from Google Earth showing a portion of the eastern cupola was still standing at that time.  CHW said that based on satellite imagery from April 10, the eastern cupola had been destroyed.

On May 26, BBC reported the removal of a cross atop St. Yeghishe Armenian Church in Sugovushan (Mataghis).  A video reposted in March by Armenia’s ombudsman Armen Tatoyan on social media had shown soldiers wearing Azerbaijani and Turkish insignia desecrating the church.

In June, The Art Newspaper published a report using satellite images that detailed the destruction of medieval Armenian churches in Agulis, Nakhchivan.  The churches were seen in 1977 images but were missing in images from 2016 and 2019.  The destruction included Surb Stepanos (Saint Stephen), likely founded in the 12th to 13th centuries, the medieval Surb Tovma (Saint Thomas), Surb Kristapor (Saint Christopher), Surb Hovhannes Mkrtich (Saint John the Baptist), and other ancient churches, such as Mets Anapat Surb Astvatasatsin (Greater Hermitage Holy Mother of God) and Surb Hakob Hayrapet (Saint Jacob of Nisibis).  The Art Newspaper also chronicled the destruction of Armenian heritage throughout Nakhchivan, which once included 89 churches, 5,840 cross-stones, and more than 22,000 tombstones, according to documentation from 1964-87 collected by independent researcher Argam Ayvazyan.  Because religion and ethnicity are closely linked, it is difficult to categorize many incidents as being solely based on religious identity.