The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia has issued the following statement on destruction of the Armenian Zoravor Surb Astvatsatsin Church in Mekhakavan by Azerbaijan:

“After being transferred to Azerbaijan as a result of the war that took place between September and November 2020, the Armenian Zoravor Surb Astvatsatsin Church in Mekhakavan has been completely destroyed (the solemn ceremony of consecration and opening was held on October 1, 2017 and officiated by Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan).

The destruction of the church is confirmed by the video presented by BBC World News.

During the war, Azerbaijani soldiers released a video showing how they were cynically disrespecting and vandalizing an Armenian church. The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia translated and analyzed the video that clearly shows religious hatred and the intention to destroy the Armenian church.

One thing is also clear: the church was destroyed after, not before the cessation of hostilities.

What happened is another result of Azerbaijan’s policy of Armenophobia and hatred based on religion and a gross violation of internationally guaranteed religious freedom.

This serves as further evidence of the fact that there has been a policy of ethnic cleansing of the Armenians and Armenian genocide.”