OIC delegation completes visit to liberated Fuzuli UPDATED/PHOTO

The visit of the staff of the Ombudsman's Office and the delegation of the Independent Permanent Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to Fizuli district is over.

The guests were told about Armenian vandalism at Garakhanbayli cemetery during the occupation period, Report informs.

It was noted that all tombstones were removed from here.

The guests were also familiarized with the ruins of the historical center of Fuzuli and the new residential area, as well as met with the victims of the Armenian occupation.

During the visit to Fuzuli district, the members of the OIC delegation also visited Fuzuli International Airport, which was built after the liberation from the occupation.

It should be reminded that the main purpose of the visit is to investigate on site the facts of destruction of religious-cultural monuments and cemeteries belonging to Azerbaijanis by Armenia, collect information on Azerbaijanis who suffered as a result of occupation and rocket attacks, as well as prepare a report and present it to the international community.

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At the invitation of Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva, a delegation led by the Chairman of the Independent Permanent Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has visited Fuzuli.

The delegation will get acquainted with Garakhanbayli and Merdinli cemeteries, Merdinli Mosque, ruins of the historical centre of Fuzuli and the new residential area, as well as meet with victims of the Armenian occupation, Report informs.

The delegation includes Muhammed Lawal Sulaiman (Nigeria), Chairman of the Independent Permanent Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC Human Rights Commission), Haji Ali Açıkgül (Türkiye), Vice Chairman, Noura bint Zaid Al-Rashoud (Saudi Arabia), Executive Director of the Commission's Secretariat, Javed Saqlain (Pakistan), Director of the Commission's Secretariat and others.

The main purpose of the trip was to study the facts of destruction of religious and cultural monuments and cemeteries belonging to Azerbaijanis by Armenia, prepare a report on the results of the mission and present it to the international community.

Armenians have destroyed virtually all religious and historical monuments in the previously occupied territories of Azerbaijan during the 30-year occupation. Some 65 out of 67 mosques were destroyed, Aghdam's Juma mosque was partially preserved due to its use by the Armenian armed forces for military purposes, and the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha was presented as a "Persian" mosque after the so-called reconstruction.

Along with humanitarian terror, Armenia committed systematic vandalism against Azerbaijani cultural heritage in Karabakh by erasing historical Azerbaijani toponyms, destroying hundreds of historical and cultural monuments, mosques, and other shrines, desecrating religious values, misappropriating ancient Albanian churches, and presenting them as Armenian.

Nearly 900 cemeteries in the liberated lands were completely destroyed, tombstones were broken, and graves were excavated with the remains desecrated. For the past 30 years, Azerbaijani citizens have been denied the right to visit their loved ones' graves.

Armenia committed ethnic-cultural genocide as well as ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis. There were no Azerbaijanis left in Armenia as a result of the mass deportation of Azerbaijanis from their ancestral lands in the early 20th century. Over 250,000 Azerbaijanis were expelled from their native lands and became refugees as a result of the final deportation in 1988 alone.

By pursuing a policy of both ethnic and cultural genocide, Armenia has purposefully erased all traces of Azerbaijanis, the historical and ancient residents of these territories, plundered, destroyed, embezzled, and distorted the Azerbaijani people's cultural legacy. At the same time, ancient place names in these areas were changed to Armenian ones.