Zatulin: The ‘trial’ of Artsakh leaders in Baku is part of the process of distorting history

Azerbaijan is attempting to retrospectively rewrite the Armenian history and culture of Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian State Duma Deputy Konstantin Zatulin said during a roundtable discussion organized in Moscow by the Institute of CIS Countries and the international Lazarev Club.

According to Zatulin, Baku seeks to appropriate well-known historical monuments, particularly the medieval Amaras and Gandzasar monasteries. These and other cultural and historical monuments of Nagorno-Karabakh date back to a period when not only were Azerbaijanis absent from the region, but also they did not exist as a nation at all, the politician said.

“The so-called “trial” of former Nagorno-Karabakh leaders in Baku fits into the broader logic of distorting history and appropriating Armenian heritage,” Zatulin stated.

In Zatulin’s view, this trial reflects the Azerbaijani authorities’ general desire to continuously celebrate the victory over the Armenian people and, in particular, the Armenians of Artsakh.

All this is aimed at Nagorno-Karabakh, allegedly, “returning” to the cultural, ethnic, national, and state space of Azerbaijan as soon as possible, the politician said.