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Expert groups have been warning about the ongoing construction work on the Ghazanchetsots (Holy Saviour) Cathedral in Azerbaijani-occupied Shushi, Artsakh, for a long time now. Recurring Azerbaijani social media reports suggest that Baku seeks to convert the church into a mosque.

“Reports about the possible plans to turn the Ghazanchetsots Church into a mosque have been circulating on Azerbaijani social media platforms since the end of the 2020 war,” Hovik Avanesov, head of the Center of Caucasian Studies at Mesrop Mashtots University, told Panorama.am in an interview on Thursday.

He said Azerbaijani social media users and news outlets repeatedly shared such reports to delete them after a while.

Experts carefully monitor all reports about the illegal construction on the Shushi church, he assured.

“The illegal construction has completely damaged the identity and integrity of the church, which is yet another case of vandalism,” Avanesov said. “It’s part of Azerbaijan’s state policy which we repeatedly witness in relation to various architectural monuments.”

The expert pointed to social media videos and photos confirming the ongoing illegal “reconstruction” of the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral.

He stressed the need to constantly publish research papers on the Shushi church in foreign languages on various platforms to raise awareness about the church and debunk Azerbaijan’s lies that it is a Russian Orthodox church.

“The Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin and the Center for the Preservation of Artsakh's Religious and Cultural Heritage have a work to do here. Comprehensive information should be provided to the Russian Orthodox Church leader, urging him to issue a message for Azerbaijan to stop its policy. The statement should make clear that the cathedral has no connection with the Russian Orthodox Church," the expert noted.