As a
consequence of September-November war of 2020, the Zoravor Surb Astvatsatsin
Armenian Church in the Mekhakavan community was completely destroyed after it
came under Azerbaijani control. The consecration and opening ceremony of the
church which had taken place on October 1, 2017 was presided over by Bishop
Vrtanes Abrahamyan.
The
destruction of the church is confirmed by the publication of BBC World News
(Nagorno-Karabakh: The mystery of the missing church).
Even
during the war, the Azerbaijani military published a video which revealed them
going about and, cynically insulting and vandalizing the Armenian Church. The
staff of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia translated and analyzed the video
which openly attests to the religious hatred and intent to destroy the Armenian
Church.
One
fact is not disputable: the church was destroyed not during the hostilities,
but after their cessation.
What
happened is yet another consequence of Azerbaijan's policy of anti-Armenian and
religious hatred, and another product of its gross violations of the
internationally guaranteed right of the freedom of religion.
This
is yet another proof that a policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against
Armenians has taken place in Artsakh.
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