The 11th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Karlsruhe, which was attended by the official delegation from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, adopted a statement on Artsakh, the Armenians of Artsakh, and the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Republic.

In a statement, the World Council of Churches condemned Azerbaijan's use of chemical weapons and cluster bombs, attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and other war crimes, including beheadings, torture, and other forms of violence, the press service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin informed NEWS.am.

The World Council of Churches also called for respect for the shrines and cultural heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, given the numerous reports of their desecration.

"Nearly two years after the end of the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, hundreds of ethnic Armenians are being illegally detained in Azerbaijan. While the world's attention is focused on the Ukrainian conflict, Azerbaijani forces are in fact committing new atrocities against both the indigenous Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia's sovereign borders, as a result of which innocent people continue to be killed.

The World Council of Churches appeals to the UN, the European Union, and the Azerbaijani authorities for the immediate release of all Armenian prisoners of war and civilian hostages;

Reiterates its concern over the shrines and Armenian cultural heritage in the region and calls on UNESCO and all members of the international community to take all appropriate measures to protect these sites;

Calls for a constructive dialogue within the OSCE Minsk Group for a just and peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict;

Asks to remain committed to Christian solidarity with the churches and people of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh in their quest for a just and lasting peace," the statement reads.