HRC 49th Session: Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Delivered by Emma Harutyunyan, Third Secretary

10 March, 2022

President,

Armenia thanks Special Rapporteur for the comprehensive report. We echo his call to uphold human rights and respect, promote and protect diverse religious and belief systems whether during war or peacetime. Armenia is against the malpractice of “religionizing” conflicts, which makes conflict resolution even more intractable.

Time and again, we see efforts of erasing the indigenous Armenian heritage in the territories of Nagorno Karabakh, which are currently under the control of Azerbaijan. Last month Azerbaijan announced its decision to review and revise the cultural heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh. With many Armenian religious sites already destroyed and misappropriated, this new decision threatens with the elimination of the remaining ones. This distructive policy of Azerbaijan continues in sheer defiance to the ruling of the International Court of Justice (and I quote) “to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration affecting Armenian cultural heritage.”

The Special procedures have inquired Azerbaijan on intentional targeting of the Armenian Holy Savior Cathedral in Shushi. They further urged Azerbaijan to consult with the Armenian Apostolic Church on the refurbishment of the Cathedral and to indicate when it will be safe to resume its religious services. Azerbaijan have not reacted to any of these communications.

I thank you.

Right of Reply

President,

Armenia exercises its second right of reply in response to Azerbaijan.

As a result of the Azerbaijani aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh in the fall of 2020 a number of remarkable Armenian religious sites have been damaged and destroyed. Among many other examples, the 200-year-old Saint John the Baptist church in Shushi was destroyed after Azerbaijan occupied the city. Recently the social accounts of Azerbaijani users disseminated a video showing that the parish building of this church is turned to a restaurant. The complete demolition of the Armenian Holy Mother of God Church near the town of Mekhakavan was documented by the BBC reporters.

The Human Rights Watch referred to the deliberate attack against the Holy Savior Cathedral in the city of Shushi, as a possible war crime. Special Procedure Mandate Holders issued a communication to Azerbaijan requesting information about any investigation into this attack. They underscored (and I quote) “that the Cathedral built in 1888 is one of the largest Armenian churches in the world. It is religiously and culturally significant and an important site of pilgrimage”. They especially sought an indication if those responsible for the attack on the church would be held accountable in accordance with international law.

Azerbaijan have not responded to the communications. Moreover, on November 2021 Azerbaijan announced an amnesty for all those who participated in the war against Nagorno-Karabakh conveniently putting to rest even the theoretical possibilities for accountability on the crimes identified by the Special Procedures.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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