YEREVAN. - Armenian historic monuments were destroyed in the territory of Azerbaijan over the recent 16-17 years, expert on monuments Samvel Karapetyan said in an interview with the Armenian Hayots Ashkharh (The Armenian World) newspaper.

The expert collected information and published a magazine describing Armenian monuments destroyed in Azerbaijan. According to him, the monuments, in particular religious buildings and cemeteries were destroyed under a government program. Particularly, Christian monuments were demolished.

“Since 1960s these monuments were presented as Albanian. Also, dozens of books and articles have been published insisting the monuments are Azerbaijani. Nowadays they destroy the monuments which they once called Albanian and Azerbaijani in their books,” he said bringing an example of Jugha cemetery.

Karapetyan added that facts about many of the monuments are not preserved. Experts have to collect information using Google Earth and photos they receive from different places.