Azerbaijan Levels Centuries-Old Armenian Cemetery in Occupied Shushi for Wastewater Facility
A centuries-old Armenian-Russian cemetery in Shushi has been completely leveled to make way for a wastewater and stormwater treatment facility, according to Caucasus Heritage Watch, which documented the destruction through satellite imagery. The cemetery on the eastern side of the city was destroyed between May 9 and 14, 2026, CHW said in a report published Sept. 5. The construction is part of a broader redevelopment plan for Shushi. The burial ground contained at least 40 hi
Artsakh Declared Independence 35 Years Ago as Armenian Heritage Faces Destruction Under Azerbaijani Occupation
Thirty-five years ago, Artsakh declared itself a republic. Today, the anniversary comes nearly three years after Azerbaijan occupied the region and forced virtually its entire ethnic Armenian population to flee to Armenia. For decades, Sept. 2 was commemorated in Artsakh with official ceremonies and public events celebrating the establishment of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In 2026, the anniversary is being observed without an Armenian population living in the region and am
Azerbaijan Destroys Stepanakert Cathedral and Irreplaceable Armenian Sacred Art
The destruction of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert also wiped out significant works of Armenian sacred art, including a set of handcrafted entrance doors created specifically for the church by artist and sculptor Robert Askaryan. The cathedral was completely destroyed sometime between March 3 and April 2, 2026, according to satellite monitoring cited by Artsakh Cultural Heritage Ombudsman Hovik Avanesov. Among the works lost were Askaryan’s entrance doors, whi
Trump Urged to Press Azerbaijan to Release 19 Armenian Prisoners
President Donald Trump should use Washington’s growing influence in the South Caucasus to push Azerbaijan to release 19 Armenian prisoners still held in Baku, foreign policy analyst Darren G. Spinck argues, calling their continued detention a major unresolved test of the U.S.-backed Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process. Spinck, managing director of Janus Forum and a non-resident fellow at the Danube Institute, made the case in an opinion column published by The Washington Times.
‘Imprisoned, but Not on Our Knees’: POW Davit Babayan Speaks From Azerbaijani Custody
Former Artsakh Foreign Minister Davit Babayan has accused Azerbaijan’s courts of staging a predetermined legal process against him and other imprisoned Armenian officials, saying the record of the proceedings will now form part of their case before international courts. Babayan made the allegations in a message sent from Azerbaijani custody through his family and provided to News.am. His remarks came after an appeals court upheld the verdicts against him and other former Arts
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
