Azerbaijani occupation forces destroyed bell tower in Stepanakert  dedicated to 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide

ArmInfo. Caucasus Heritage Watch (CHW), an organization that monitors Artsakh's cultural heritage, has documented more compelling evidence of Azerbaijan's policy aimed at the systematic destruction of Armenian historical and cultural heritage in occupied Artsakh, as stated by the Ombudsman of  the  Artsakh Cultural Heritage and Vice President of the Azgayin  historical and cultural NGO, Hovik Avanesov. 

"The complete destruction of the monument dedicated to the 100th  anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, at the Stepanakert Memorial  Complex, cannot be viewed as an isolated incident: it clearly fits  into a broader process of systematic destruction of cultural heritage  and the erasure of historical memory. The white marble bell tower,  which housed a reliquary containing human remains  from Deir ez-Zor,  held a special symbolic significance. Deir ez-Zor is not only a  geographical name in the collective memory of Armenians, but also a  symbol embodying the tragic culmination of the genocide, a place  where hundreds of thousands of Armenians were subjected to mass  murder, forced deportations, and death marches. The destruction of  such a monument signifies not only the loss of material value but  also a direct blow to historical memory, the memory of the victims,  and the identity of their descendants," Avanesov writes. 

According to him, satellite data from Airbus and Planet Labs clearly  shows that the monument and the entire surrounding memorial complex  were destroyed between July 14, 2025 and April 25, 2026. Avanesov  added that this data chronology does not indicate random damage, but  a deliberate and phased operation aimed at completely "cleansing" the  area of any traces of Armenian presence. "This action should be  considered in the context of international law and the protection of  cultural heritage. The deliberate destruction of cultural heritage  sites contravenes several international conventions, including  documents adopted under the auspices of UNESCO. However, this case  demonstrates that such actions continue, often with impunity, which  encourages their repetition.

Furthermore, the destruction of the monument is not only cultural but  also clearly political and ideological in nature. The goal is to  reshape the historical narrative of the territory, erase evidence of  Armenian presence, and create an 'empty' historical space," Avanesov  asserted.

He emphasized that this is a classic example of cultural genocide,  where not only people are destroyed, but also their memory, culture,  and material evidence of their existence. "Therefore, the destruction  of the bell tower dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian  Genocide in Stepanakert should not be viewed as an isolated incident,  but as an integral part of a continuous and systematic policy aimed  at destroying Armenian historical and cultural heritage and  distorting historical memory. This reality requires not only  scientific documentation but also a clear and practical response from  the international community," Avanesov concluded.

It should be noted that since the occupation of Artsakh, Azerbaijan  has completely destroyed or significantly damaged the following  cultural and religious sites. The Kanach Zham (Surb Hovhannes  Mkrtich) Church in Shushi was completely destroyed in April 2024, the  Ghazanchetsots Cemetery in Shushi was completely destroyed, the  village of Karintak was completely bulldozed, and monuments and busts  in Stepanakert, including those of Charles Aznavour, Hovhannes  Aivazovsky, Hovhannes Tumanyan, and Marshal Baghramyan, were  dismantled. The Marshal Khudyakov Museum in the village of Mets Tager  was destroyed. Today, approximately 4,000 Armenian cultural sites  remain under Azerbaijani control, including more than 370 churches  and 119 ancient fortresses.