Heritage of Western Azerbaijan Research Series. Vol. 1. The Systematic Destruction of Azerbaijani Cemeteries in Armenia: Consequences and International Legal Responsibility. Report and Documentation

This report presents the study, historical comparative analysis, and monitoring of 201 cemeteries historically used by Azerbaijanis within the territory of the present-day Republic of Armenia, employing modern satellite technology. The research utilized military-topographic maps from the 19th and 20th centuries preserved in libraries of various countries, declassified imagery captured by U.S. reconnaissance satellites from the 1960s to the 1980s, and contemporary high-resolution satellite imagery. Modern methodological analysis techniques were employed to monitor the current condition of the existing cemeteries in the region.

The Heritage of Western Azerbaijan research series is planned to comprise five volumes. Volumes I, II, and III will document Azerbaijani cemeteries deliberately obliterated by the Armenian state in Western Azerbaijan. Volume IV will focus on mosques that were demolished in Western Azerbaijan, while Volume V will document local shrines and mausoleums that were destroyed or damaged in the region.

This volume contains a two-part report. The first part outline s its objective and defines the scope of the research. It discusses the methodologi cal principles employed in the study and provides detailed information on remote sensing techniques and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The so urces used in this research are classified into four groups and characterized: (1) top ographic publications and satellite imagery; (2) publicly available documents and archival records; (3) cinematic and photographic materials; and (4) memoirs and interviews of Azerbaijanis deported from Armenia. This section also outlines the research stages and examines the methodology for assessing cemetery damage and its application.

The most crucial part of the report is the systematization and analysis of the facts, culminating in the overall findings. Finally, the report establishes Armenia’s international legal responsibility for the destruction of Azerbaijani cemeteries. The second part of the report comprises documentation that was fundamental to its development.