Portrait of Fallen Armenian War Hero Removed in Yerevan, Raising Questions About Preserving the Memory of the 44-Day War

The reported removal of several murals depicting Armenian soldiers killed during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war has sparked public debate in Armenia, with family members of fallen servicemen raising concerns over the disappearance of memorial artwork dedicated to those who lost their lives in the conflict.

The latest controversy emerged after Arevik Mkrtchyan, the sister of Haykaz Mkrtchyan, who was killed during the 44-day war, said a portrait of her brother had been removed from a wall in the underpass near the Armenian State University of Economics in Yerevan. In a post published on social media, she condemned the removal and described it as an attempt to erase the memory of fallen soldiers.

Her father, Zaven Mkrtchyan, also reacted publicly, expressing outrage over the disappearance of the portrait and arguing that Armenian war heroes should be honored rather than removed from public spaces.

The incident has drawn wider attention because it is not the first report of wartime memorial artwork disappearing from Yerevan. Earlier on Tuesday, Arega Hovsepyan, a member of the Strong Armenia party, claimed during a live broadcast that portraits of several Armenian servicemen had been removed from public walls in different parts of the capital. He specifically referenced the portrait of National Hero Robert Abajyan and alleged that images of other fallen soldiers had also vanished from locations where they had previously been displayed.

Following the 2020 war, numerous murals, portraits, and street memorials dedicated to fallen servicemen appeared across Armenia, particularly in Yerevan. Many were created by artists, volunteers, local residents, and relatives seeking to preserve the memory of those killed during the conflict. The portraits became a visible part of the capital's landscape and served as public symbols of remembrance and mourning.

In response to the growing attention surrounding the issue, Yerevan Municipality reiterated that murals and graffiti may only be created with official authorization.

According to municipal regulations, individuals wishing to paint murals in public spaces must submit a written application and receive approval from the relevant authorities. Artwork created without the required permits may be removed by municipal bodies, administrative districts, or property owners.

The municipality stated that if disagreements arise over the removal of unauthorized murals, the matter can be resolved through legal proceedings.

The debate comes as many Armenians continue to view portraits of fallen soldiers not merely as street art, but as lasting memorials to those who died during one of the most consequential conflicts in the country's modern history.

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