Surb Nerses Mets Church vandalized in Martuni, Nagorno-Karabakh 

ArmInfo.  The Surb Nerses Mets Church in occupied Artsakh's Martuni has been vandalized by Azerbaijani forces. Monument Watch reports this.

"Some Azerbaijani Telegram channels have circulated photographs from  the occupied city of Martuni in Artsakh. The photographs show that  the Surb Nerses Mets Church in the city center has suffered damage  over the past two years: broken windows and visible signs of  shelling. The church and its surroundings were deliberately targeted  by Azerbaijani armed forces during the 44-day war of 2020, when  Martuni was subjected to relentless bombardment. Shells also fell and  exploded in close proximity to the church, as evidenced by marks on  the church's southern facade. The church was built in 2004 by  philanthropist Alisa Ohanyan," the organization, which monitors the  preservation of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in occupied  Artsakh, said in a statement.

The organization once again recalled that the fundamental provision  for the protection of cultural property is formulated in Article 4 of  the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the  Event of Armed Conflict: "States have the duty to respect cultural  property, whether in their own territory or in the territory of  another Party, by refraining from acts of hostility or reprisals"  (Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the  Event of Armed Conflict, 1954, Article 4, UNESCO).

"The prohibition of attacks on cultural property during war/armed  conflict is also enshrined in international humanitarian law, which  has the status of customary law, meaning it is internationally  binding. Rule 38 of International Humanitarian Law states: "Each  party to a conflict must respect cultural property and take all  necessary measures to prevent attacks against buildings and historic  monuments dedicated to religion, art, science, education, or  charitable purposes, unless they are military objectives."

Rule 40 concludes by noting that each party to a conflict must  protect cultural heritage: "Any act of theft, plunder,  misappropriation, or vandalism against property of great importance  to the cultural heritage of any people is prohibited," Monument Watch  noted.

Let us recall that back in the summer of 2024, the Caucasus Heritage  Watch (CHW) organization, in its 7th report on the situation around  Artsakh, signaled a 75% increase in cases of destruction of Armenian  heritage in the occupied territories of the NKR by Azerbaijan, and a  29% increase in the number of objects classified as under threat.