“We Are Our Mountains” monument defaced in Artsakh

(Horizon Weekly) – A new video released by Azerbaijani/Talysh blogger Rahim Shaliyev shows the “We Are Our Mountains” monument in Stepanakert spray-painted with Azerbaijani graffiti, confirming fresh vandalism against Artsakh’s most recognizable symbol.

The monument—depicting an elderly Armenian couple—has long stood as a powerful expression of Artsakh’s indigenous Armenian identity, rooted in the land and its history. For decades it functioned as the region’s unofficial emblem, appearing on everything from state seals to cultural materials, and serving as a unifying landmark for the population of Stepanakert.

The newly circulated footage shows its frontal stone surface defaced with large painted inscriptions, illustrating how the site has become a target of symbolic aggression since the forced depopulation of Artsakh’s Armenian population in 2023. The act aligns with the broader campaign of cultural erasure carried out under Azerbaijani control, where Armenian heritage sites face ongoing threats of degradation, alteration, or destruction.

Calls within Azerbaijani public circles for the monument’s removal or demolition further underscore the intention to eliminate visible traces of Artsakh’s Armenian presence.

The continued desecration of the “We Are Our Mountains” monument highlights the urgent need for sustained international oversight to protect Armenian cultural landmarks now at risk.