Azerbaijan has vandalized the cemetery in Artsakh’s Haterk village, reports Monument Watch, which monitors the cultural heritage of Artsakh.
According to the source, on January 15, 2024, a video was posted on Azerbaijani Milli TV’s YouTube channel, which was filmed in the occupied Artsakh village of Haterk, namely the memorial erected in memory of those killed in Artsakh war, and in the surrounding area.
In the video, it can be seen that the memorial complex dedicated to those killed in the first Artsakh War and the surrounding cemetery have been vandalized. In particular, most of the commemorative stones with the portraits of the defenders of Haterk village, as well as some tombstones, are overturned. The video was shot by Azerbaijanis carrying out work near the memorial. The video also shows that tools and gas cylinders are placed on memorial stones.
Haterk village suffered heavily during the first Artsakh war. In 1992, the armed forces of Azerbaijan tried to depopulate and destroy the village. In 1992-1993, the village was occupied twice by the Azerbaijani armed forces. Nineteen civilians of Haterk village, who did not manage to leave during the Azerbaijani invasion, were killed by the Azerbaijani military. Fifty-seven people were killed in the battles for self-defense and liberation of the village. The construction of the memorial built in the fraternity’s headquarters dedicated to the memory of the victims started in 2002 and ended in 2005.