Azerbaijanis destroyed the Kanach Zham (Green Chapel) Church in Shushi

Cornell University's Caucasus Heritage Watch research initiative reports that Shushi's Kanach Zham (Green Chapel) church has been completely destroyed.

By destroying the 177-year-old church of St. John the Baptist, Azerbaijan grossly violated the decision of the International Court of Justice of the United Nations. The Caucasus Heritage Watch initiative notes that, according to the court's judgment of December 7, 2021, Azerbaijan was obligated to ensure the safety of all detained persons related to the 2020 conflict, to take all necessary steps to prevent incitement to racial hatred and discrimination, and to prevent and punish acts of vandalism against Armenian cultural heritage, including places of worship, monuments, cemeteries, and other significant sites.

Kanach Zham, built by Armenians in 1847, suffered damage during the 2020 war. Following the war, the Azerbaijani authorities, unjustifiably denying the church's Armenian affiliation, began "transforming" it into a Russian church. The Baku Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church had even promised to restore it. However, it is now a known fact that the church no longer exists.

Caucasus Heritage Watch documents that at the entrance to the belfry, building inscriptions in Armenian read: “St. Hovhannes Mkrtich Church was built by Shushi townsman baron Hovhannes and Baba Stepanyan Hovnanents in memory of their deceased brother Mkrtich in the year of 1847.” The church received its name Kanach Zham (Green Church) as the dome of the building was once of green colour.

Karabakh Records' X page also published facts about destroying the Armenian trace in Shushi (satellite photos, video from an Azerbaijani Telegram channel). It is clear from those photos and video that the Armenian Church of St. Hovhannes the Baptist in Shushi was razed to the ground.

Instances of vandalism and the destruction of Armenian historical, cultural, and religious heritage by Baku in Artsakh appear to be deliberate and systematically planned.

Experts have repeatedly cautioned about Azerbaijan's systematic efforts to erase the Armenian footprint in Artsakh and to expropriate Armenian cultural heritage. This includes the removal of crosses from churches, the destruction of historical monuments.

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