"The naming of the ceremonial hall of the Blue Mosque in Yerevan, one of the examples of the ancient historical and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people, after Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents is another attempt to distort historical and cultural identity, a sign of disrespect for universal values shared by the entire world and enshrined in international conventions, and a provocation against efforts to establish an atmosphere of peace and mutual trust," APA reports, citing a statement by the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The statement noted that the initiative to install a bust in the ceremonial hall of the Blue Mosque raises serious questions about the objective and impartial attitude of the Armenian side, particularly the country's political leadership, toward the original purpose and historical affiliation of the monument:
"These attempts serve to push the historical and cultural identity of the Blue Mosque into the background and present it as a monument belonging to another culture. The protection of historical monuments requires not only ensuring their physical preservation but also respecting their historical affiliation, original purpose and cultural identity.
The Blue Mosque is an important example of Azerbaijani architectural and religious heritage, built in the 18th century during the period of the Yerevan Khanate, under the rule of Huseynali Khan. Known throughout history as the Blue Mosque, Blue Jami and Huseynali Khan Mosque, this monument occupied an important place in the religious and public life of Yerevan's Muslim population and played a significant role in shaping the city's cultural identity. Its historical affiliation is directly linked to the mosque's architectural features, the period of its construction and its place in the history of the statehood of the Yerevan Khanate.
During the Soviet period, religious activities at the mosque were suspended, and the building was used for various secular purposes, including as a museum. Under an agreement reached between Iran and Armenia in 1995, the Iranian side was entrusted with financing the 'reconstruction' work. However, this process cannot serve as a basis for changing the mosque's historical affiliation or presenting its original architectural features under the name of another culture. This is because the restoration of any cultural heritage site using the funds of a particular country is not considered grounds for claiming that the monument belongs to that country. The historical identity of the Blue Mosque should be assessed on the basis of the period in which it was built, the Yerevan Khanate and the city's connection to Azerbaijani cultural heritage. Attempts to present the monument as a 'Persian mosque' and change its name and historical context serve political purposes rather than a scientific and historical approach."
It was also emphasized that the protection of cultural heritage is one of the important principles of international law:
"UNESCO's 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict provides for the protection of cultural property during armed conflicts and the prevention of acts of hostility, looting and misappropriation against such property. UNESCO's 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage establishes the responsibility of states to identify, protect, preserve and transmit to future generations the cultural heritage located within their territories.
We regretfully emphasize that Armenia is once again resorting to the negative practices it applied to mosques in Garabagh and Eastern Zangezur during the period of occupation. The Azerbaijani people have not forgotten the involvement of a company operating in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the works carried out under the guise of renovation at the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha in 2019, or the presentation of this mosque and the Aghdam Juma Mosque as 'Persian mosques.' At the same time, we recall with deep disappointment and bitter regret the destruction and desecration of ancient mosques and places of worship in other formerly occupied territories, as well as acts of vandalism targeting the religious sentiments of our people. Currently, the Azerbaijani state is carrying out the restoration of all religious and cultural monuments in the liberated territories and taking consistent measures to restore their historical appearance. However, the elimination of physical destruction does not erase the moral scars left in the historical memory of our people by the acts of vandalism committed during the period of occupation.
We believe that uniform and objective criteria should be applied in the protection of cultural heritage sites, and their historical affiliation, original architectural features and religious purpose should be respected during their restoration and use. In this regard, attempts to distort the historical identity of the Blue Mosque in Yerevan once again highlight the importance of upholding the same principles in the treatment of cultural heritage everywhere.
We express our protest against attempts to distort the historical affiliation of the Blue Mosque and appropriate the cultural and religious heritage of the Azerbaijani people, and call on the Iranian and Armenian sides to respect historical facts and refrain from using religious and cultural monuments for political and ideological purposes."
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