News - Armenian cathedral of Karabakh capital Stepanakert is targeted by Azerbaijani vandals

Another case of vandalism has been recorded in Stepanakert, the capital of Azerbaijani-occupied occupied Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). This time, Azerbaijani vandals have targeted the St. John's Cathedral of the Mother of God in Stepanakert. “Ombudsman of Culture of Hayk,” Hovik Avanesov, noted this on Facebook. On April 7, 2019, the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, had performed the consecration ceremony of this cathedral. According to Article 4 of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflict, any act of vandalism, theft, robbery, misappropriation, hostility, or reprisal against cultural heritage is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, the first Hague Protocol of 1954 forbids the destruction of cultural or spiritual values in occupied territories.”