On August 24, the day of remembrance of Artsakh hero Ashot Gulyan (Bekor), we are forced to state another cultural crime. His monument was destroyed in the center of Stepanakert. This was reported by the Artsakh Culture and Tourism Development Agency.
The monument to Ashot Gulyan, created by the famous Armenian sculptor Yuri Samvelyan, was erected in 1996 at the site of his burial, in the park of the same name. Previously, the hero’s ashes were transferred to his homeland, Khndzristan, but today there is no information about the condition of his grave.
The destruction of monuments is not only an act of vandalism, but also a systematic policy of Azerbaijan aimed at erasing the memory and cultural identity of the heroes – the people of Artsakh. Such actions grossly violate international conventions on the protection of cultural heritage and the rights of the people of Artsakh to preserve their memory, history and return to their homeland.
We must declare: Azerbaijan’s responsibility for the destruction of cultural heritage must be recorded by the international community. At the same time, it is necessary to emphasize that the best protection of cultural heritage is to ensure the inalienable right of the Artsakh people to return.