Azerbaijan Destroys Prominent Armenian Cathedral in Stepanakert, Artsakh
Azerbaijan has destroyed a prominent Armenian cathedral in Stepanakert, with satellite imagery showing the church was demolished between March 3 and April 2, 2026, according to an Armenian cultural heritage specialist monitoring endangered sites across Artsakh. Hovik Avanesov, the Cultural Heritage Ombudsman of Artsakh and vice president of the Azgayin Cultural-Historical NGO, identified the destroyed building as the Holy Mother of God Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral o
Expedia, Viator and European Travel Platforms Sell Tours Through Artsakh After 2023 Armenian Exodus
Major international booking platforms are selling trips to Stepanakert, Shushi and other parts of Artsakh, often giving travelers little information about the Armenian population that lived there before Azerbaijan occupied the entire region in 2023. Less than three years after more than 120,000 Armenians were forced from Artsakh, international travel companies are selling day trips through cities where Armenians lived until Azerbaijan’s September 2023 military offensive. Expe
Baku Appeals Court Upholds Life Sentences for Former Artsakh Leaders and Other Armenian Prisoners
A court in Azerbaijan has upheld the convictions and prison sentences of former Artsakh leaders and other Armenian prisoners, rejecting their appeals and leaving in place the harsh penalties imposed earlier this year. According to Azerbaijani media, the Baku Court of Appeals ruled on Aug. 6 to uphold the Feb. 5 verdicts issued by the Baku Military Court. The appeals filed by former Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, former Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, Par
“The Verdict Was Decided Long Ago”: POW Davit Ishkhanyan Says Baku Appeal Was a Political Trial
Davit Ishkhanyan, the former speaker of Artsakh’s National Assembly who is being held in Baku, said the outcome of his appeal had been decided before the judges began deliberations, describing the case as a political prosecution rather than a legitimate judicial process. In a message released after the latest court hearing, Ishkhanyan said Azerbaijan’s Court of Appeal had formally withdrawn to consider its ruling, but argued that the panel had no real role in determining the
Marriott Removes Controversial Artsakh Tour After Global Armenian Advocacy Campaign
Marriott Bonvoy has removed a controversial tourism package to Azerbaijan-occupied Artsakh after a five-day international advocacy campaign led by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), Armenian National Committee organizations around the world and coalition partners. The tour, which had been available through Marriott’s activities platform and was eligible for Marriott Bonvoy rewards points, offered travelers a guided visit to occupied Artsakh, including the citi
Ruben Vardanyan Takes 20-Year Azerbaijan Prison Sentence to European Court of Human Rights
Former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan has taken his case to the European Court of Human Rights. This is his first international legal challenge to the 20-year prison sentence handed down by an Azerbaijani military court earlier this year. The application was filed July 19 by human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan, who represents Armenian detainees before the Strasbourg-based court. In a statement published on Vardanyan's official Facebook page, Sahakyan said she will a
Armenian General Jailed in Azerbaijan Urges Pashinyan to Publicly Reject Baku’s 2020 War Claims
An Armenian general imprisoned in Azerbaijan has called on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to publicly reject Baku’s accusations that Armenia planned and waged an aggressive war in 2020. Maj. Gen. Davit Manukyan made the appeal in a message sent from prison in Baku and obtained by Pastinfo. He said one of the charges against him centers on the planning, preparation and conduct of the September 2020 war. At the time, Pashinyan was serving as Armenia’s prime minister and command
Aliyev Defends Ethnic Cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, Renews Demands on Armenia
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev used an international media forum in Shushi to defend his government's ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, criticize Western institutions and repeat long-standing demands on Armenia, the United States and Europe, while ironically insisting that peace in the South Caucasus must be built on international law. The appearance came one day after Aliyev delivered a more confrontational message during a meeting with settlers of villages in the oc
Ruben Vardanyan to Take Case Against Azerbaijan to European Court of Human Rights
Former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan is preparing to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights after his legal team finally obtained the written verdict issued by an Azerbaijani military court, clearing the way for an international appeal. Vardanyan, a philanthropist and businessman, has been held in Azerbaijani custody for nearly three years. In February, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison following a trial that Armenia and his lawyers have repeatedly
POW David Ishkhanyan Says Azerbaijani Officials Claim Armenia Is Not Seeking Prisoners’ Return
Former Artsakh National Assembly Speaker David Ishkhanyan, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence handed down by a military court in Azerbaijan, says his appeal has little chance of changing the outcome but remains necessary to eventually bring his case before international courts. In a statement from Baku prison, Ishkhanyan said the appellate proceedings are largely procedural and that he does not expect the original verdict to be overturned. He said he and his legal team
Aliyev Says Azerbaijan Will ‘Never Forget’ Destruction of Mosques Despite Documented Erasure of Armenian Heritage in Artsakh
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has renewed accusations against Armenians over the alleged destruction of mosques during the decades-long conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, declaring that Azerbaijan would “never forget” what he described as the devastation inflicted on Azerbaijani cities and cultural sites, despite ongoing international concerns and documented reports regarding the destruction and alteration of Armenian cultural and religious heritage sites that have come und
U.S. House Committee Backs Amendment Calling for Release of Armenian Prisoners Held by Azerbaijan
A bipartisan initiative in the U.S. House of Representatives is gaining momentum in support of Armenian prisoners held by Azerbaijan, as lawmakers advance an amendment calling for their immediate and unconditional release. The amendment, introduced by Congressional Armenian Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Brad Sherman of California, was approved during a markup session of the House Foreign Affairs Committee as part of legislation to update the U.S. Foreign Service Act. The measure rec
“Historic Disgrace”: Armenia Court Strips Artsakh Government of Its Last Official Presence in Yerevan
Armenia’s Administrative Court has ruled that the government authorities of the Republic of Artsakh no longer legally own their longtime representation building in Yerevan, siding with Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office in a decision that effectively transfers control of the property back under Armenian state authority. The ruling means that the Republic of Artsakh has effectively lost ownership of the building that for years served as its official representation in Armeni
International Human Rights Defenders Nominate Armenian POW and Philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan for Prestigious Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
Ruben Vardanyan, the former State Minister of Artsakh who is currently being held in a prison in Baku, has been nominated for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize by a group of international human rights defenders and humanitarian figures. According to the statement released by the nominating group, the nomination is based on Vardanyan’s contributions to global human rights efforts through the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, as well as his public advocacy for the rights o
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