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The Human Rights Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan, took part on Friday in an action in the yard of Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert dedicated to the International Day of Monuments and Sites.

The Ombudsman presented the international legal agenda for the protection of cultural monuments, as well as the work carried out by the Artsakh Republic Ombudsman's staff during and after the war documenting cases of vandalism of the cultural property in the occupied territories of Artsakh and cooperation with international organizations in the field.

In his speech, Gegham Stepanyan mentioned that according to international legal rules, damage to cultural property belonging to any people whatsoever means damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind, therefore each state shall protect cultural values in its territories or outside it, even during military occupation. 

He stressed that in the current situation when, in fact, the Armenian side does not have the opportunity to defend its cultural property, the international community should assume that responsibility and make Azerbaijan to abandon its policy of distorting the history.