Center for Truth and Justice

During the U.K. Parliament Inquiry on the Cultural Destruction in Nagorno-Karabakh, CFTJ’s Narine Vlasyan presented testimony and evidence documenting the systematic erasure of Armenian cultural heritage. From destroyed cemeteries and churches to the displacement of 120,000 Armenians, this presentation highlights what is at stake when history itself is targeted. Hear excerpts from her remarks delivered before Members of Parliament in London.

After traveling to London to speak at the UK Parliament Inquiry on the Cultural Destruction of Nagorno-Karabakh on February 25, 2026, CFTJ Project Coordinator Narine Vlasyan reflects on the discussions that took place, the response from parliamentarians, and the importance of bringing documented evidence of cultural destruction into international forums. The inquiry brought attention to the ongoing destruction and erasure of Armenian cultural heritage following the forced displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. Stay tuned for more updates from this critical event.

Today at the U.K. Parliament Inquiry on the Cultural Destruction of Nagorno-Karabakh, CFTJ formally presented its findings before members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Law, Justice and Accountability and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Armenia. The report submitted to the inquiry outlines a documented three-phase pattern of damage, alteration, and destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage by Azerbaijan — not only since 2023, but dating back to the 2020 war and the years preceding it. Drawing from verified sources, legal analysis, and years of sustained documentation, the presentation situated these findings within the framework of international law governing cultural property and armed conflict.  This was not a symbolic appearance. It was an evidentiary one. By entering this documentation into a formal parliamentary inquiry, the official record now reflects detailed findings on the scale and pattern of cultural destruction. Parliamentary scrutiny matters. Legal framing matters. Official record matters. CFTJ will continue working in international legal and policy spaces where documented evidence can be examined, debated, and formally recorded. Read the full report now: cftjustice.org/the-erasure-of…

On February 25, 2026, CFTJ Representative Narine Vlasyan will appear before the U.K. Parliament Inquiry on the Cultural Destruction of Nagorno-Karabakh. Invited to deliver an oral presentation at the UK Houses of Parliament, CFTJ will contribute its documented evidence and legal analysis to members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Law, Justice and Accountability and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Armenia. The inquiry examines the destruction and alteration of Armenian cultural and religious heritage since 2023.  CFTJ’s presentation will introduce, for the first time before a parliamentary inquiry, a comprehensive review of cultural destruction in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, including violations dating back to the 2020 war and the years preceding it. This event is the result of years of sustained documentation, research, and collaboration with respected international law experts. It reflects the credibility and seriousness of the evidentiary record CFTJ has built. Bringing this work before a parliamentary inquiry ensures that the issue is examined within an international legal and policy framework at the highest levels. Stay tuned for the full report.

The Center for Truth and Justice will present in the UK Parliament Inquiry on the Destruction of Cultural Heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh, taking place between January and February 2026. A CFTJ delegation has been invited by the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) to deliver an oral presentation at the UK Houses of Parliament on February 25, 2026. The inquiry is jointly conducted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Law, Justice and Accountability and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Armenia. This invitation reflects years of sustained engagement and collaboration with leading international law experts and institutions. Through consistent documentation, legal analysis, and relationship-building within international legal circles, CFTJ has contributed to the growing body of work addressing the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh. Participation in this inquiry is a critical opportunity to ensure that documented evidence of cultural erasure is presented directly to lawmakers and accountability-focused bodies. Cultural heritage destruction is not only an attack on monuments and sites, but an assault on history, identity, and the collective memory of a people. Bringing this issue before the UK Parliament is an important step toward international recognition, legal scrutiny, and meaningful action.

The Center for Truth and Justice has issued an updated report on Armenian hostages in Azerbaijan, cultural erasure, and the ongoing violations of Armenia’s territorial integrity. Built on years of collected testimony and documented evidence since the 2020 Artsakh war, this report has been updated to be sent to the current U.S. administration, Congress, and international NGOs positioned to take action. We believe that peace cannot be sustained without justice. That is why we continue to elevate victims’ voices, document every violation, and press for responsibility for all crimes committed against Armenians. Read the full detailed report now at cftjustice.org/update-report-…

For the past few years, Armenian POWs have been held in Azerbaijani custody in violation of international law. In January 2026, four were released: Gevorg Sujyan, Davit Davtyan, Vicken Euljekjian, and Vagif Khachatryan. Their return is a step forward, but nineteen Armenians remain unlawfully detained in Azerbaijani prisons and subjected to sham trials. The Center for Truth and Justice continues to document unlawful detention, collect testimonies, and pursue legal accountability for crimes committed against Armenian POWs and civilians. Share this post. Keep their names visible. Stay engaged.

The Center for Truth and Justice welcomes the release of four Armenian POWs from Azerbaijani custody. Gevorg Sujyan, Davit Davtyan, Vicken Euljekjian, and Vagif Khachatryan are finally returning home. Their freedom brings relief to their families and to Armenians all over the world, and serves as a reminder that persistence matters, even when justice feels distant. The release of Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijani custody underscores the importance of sustained documentation and international attention to unlawful detention practices. Over the past years, CFTJ has collected testimonies from former prisoners, including two individuals who were released today. Their voices form part of a growing evidentiary record documenting the treatment of Armenian POWs and civilians, built to support future legal processes. Today’s news is significant, but the work is not finished. CFTJ will not let up until every Armenian POW and unlawfully detained civilian is released and returned home, including those Azerbaijan continues to refuse to free or acknowledge.

As this year comes to a close, we want to pause and speak plainly: none of the work CFTJ has done this year would have been possible without you. Because of your support, victims were not sidelined. Their stories were documented, defended, and carried into rooms where power usually speaks alone. This year, CFTJ continued to push past silence, inertia, and political convenience - insisting that truth and accountability remain on the international agenda. Justice is slow. It is often uncomfortable. And it never advances on goodwill alone. It advances because people like you choose to stay engaged - even when outcomes are not immediate and headlines move on. As we look ahead to the new year, the challenges are real, and the stakes are high. Victims are still waiting. Accountability is still contested. And the need for principled, victim-centered advocacy is only growing. Thank you for standing with CFTJ this year- not as observers, but as partners in this work. We enter the new year committed, focused, and determined to go further. With sincere thanks and warm holiday wishes, The Center for Truth and Justice Team

On December 3, 2025, CFTJ co-hosted a side event during the ICC Assembly of States Parties on the crime of aggression, focusing on strengthening the Court’s jurisdiction in this area. Earlier this year, CFTJ contributed to discussions on the Kampala Amendments during the ASP Special Session in July, where States agreed on next steps for implementation through 2029. ASP24 is the first concrete step in putting that into action, generating discussions among States, civil society, and survivors. At the event, CFTJ witness member Hayk Yeghiazaryan shared his testimony alongside academics and practitioners, underscoring the human impact of the gaps in the ICC’s jurisdiction.  Hayk is the brother of missing POW Alexander Yeghiazaryan, a reserve soldier whose last known location was in Zangelan on October 20, 2020. Azerbajian has confirmed the capture of other POWs from Yeghiazaryan’s unit, and despite 2 pieces of video evidence from AZ Telegram channels confirming his capture, to this day Azerbaijan denies holding Alexander.

On December 1, 2025, CFTJ’s witness member Lala Abgaryan shared testimony during the ICC ASP side event, a uniquely survivor-led dialogue bringing together victims and survivors from Kenya, Mali, Ukraine, Palestine, and Venezuela to share their diverse lived experiences.  You may recall that Lala is the sister of slain servicewoman Gayane Abgaryan, who was tortured and killed by Azerbaijani forces in September 2022. In the aftermath of this loss, Lala has transformed her grief into a commitment to justice. She has traveled alongside our coalition of legal professionals, witnesses, and survivors to The Hague, Washington, D.C., and other international forums to share her testimony. Through this work, she has found a clear purpose—one that has inspired her to pursue a career in law. Lala emphasized the importance of a victim-led approach to international criminal justice, including at the ICC. The audience included repre~sentatives of States Parties, as well as members of the Court, including the Office of the Prosecutor and the Trust Fund for Victims. She also highlighted the importance of outreach in countries like Armenia, which recently joined the Court, and expressed CFTJ’s readiness to serve as a bridge between victims and the ICC. Accompanying Lala were CFTJ’s Legal Advisers, Maria Gevorgyan and Sharmagh Mardi, who met with Court representatives from different units. Their goal was not only to share Lala’s story but to advocate for justice for all Armenian victims, for whom the ICC represents a crucial window for accountability. CFTJ sincerely thanks FIDH @fidh_en, Redress, and the Coalition for the International Criminal Court @ngos4justice for their generous support and partnership in making this possible.

Last week, CFTJ attended the 24th session of the Assembly of States Parties (#ASP24) at the World Forum in The Hague.  Our team, including Legal Advisers Maria Gevorgyan and Sharmagh Mardi, along with witness members Lala Abgaryan and Hayk Yeghiazaryan, contributed to important discussions on accountability, cooperation, and survivor-centered justice. CFTJ highlighted the perspectives of victims from Armenia, a State that recently joined the Court, and advocated for a more inclusive and effective ICC. Thank you to our staff, whose hard work, preparation, and dedication made this week possible. And to our witnesses, we are deeply grateful for your courage, strength, and willingness to step forward and share your testimony on an international stage. Your voices shape this work, and your presence continues to move it forward. Stay tuned as we share more from the ASP 24.

CFTJ’s legal researcher and lawyer, Maria Gevorgyan, addressed ICC member states today at the Sixth Plenary Meeting on Non-Cooperation during the 24th Session of the Assembly of States Parties. She highlighted how justice is weakened when states refuse to cooperate with the very laws they committed to uphold. Because of Maria’s consistent advocacy, CFTJ was offered a speaking slot during the NGO portion of this meeting. She used the moment to bring indigenous Armenian victims into the conversation. As a citizen and victim representative from a country that has only recently joined the ICC States Parties, she stressed that when long-standing member states choose non-cooperation, they set a damaging example that limits the Court’s ability to deliver justice for all.

CFTJ’s delegation of witnesses and legal advisors will be in The Hague, Netherlands next week, participating in the 24th Session of the ICC Assembly of States Parties, from December 1–6. Swipe to learn why this matters and how you can support their work. This is not just an event; it is a defining opportunity for victims to confront the international community with truth and lived experience. You don't need to wait until Giving Tuesday to show your support. Donate today to amplify victims' voices and directly impact their mission. cftjustice.org/donate

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at CFTJ! 🍂

Art Topchyan, a member of the CFTJ board, explains why continued support matters. CFTJ is doing what no other organization is doing by documenting war crimes, preserving critical evidence, and creating a database that international courts can use to build cases. The effects of this work are growing exponentially, strengthening a coalition of legal experts, advocates, and institutions committed to justice for Armenians, and in turn amplifying victims’ voices on high-level international platforms. Your support allows us to continue expanding this network, deepening collaboration with the international community, and advancing the cause that defines our mission. Contribute to our Annual Fundraiser for Justice today at cftjustice.org/donate

At a witness testimony event in Yerevan organized by Save Armenia and the Center for Truth and Justice, Marina Simonyan, an Artsakh native and member of CFTJ’s Armenia staff, spoke to a delegation that included international journalists about the 2020 war, its aftermath, and Azerbaijan’s 2023 takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh. Forced to flee her home during the invasion, Marina carries both her own story and the testimonies of hundreds of others who endured the same horrors. As part of CFTJ’s fact-finding team, she continues to shed light on the human toll of these events and the ongoing struggle of Artsakh’s displaced Christian community. Read the full article from The Christian Post here: christianpost.com/news/artsakh-c…

@steveswerdlow , a human rights lawyer, Associate Professor of the Practice of Human Rights at USC, and longtime supporter of CFTJ and the Armenian cause, shares his reflections on what defines this unique community. Having attended and spoken at multiple CFTJ conferences in Yerevan, Steve has witnessed firsthand the passion, collaboration, and shared purpose that bring this network of advocates together. His words are a reminder that our organization is built on a community united by truth, resilience, and the pursuit of justice. Show your support with a contribution and help us reach our goal amount of $100K. We’re more than half way there! cftjustice.org/donate

Every word reflects the core of who we are as a community-based organization. Built on conviction and united by the pursuit of justice, each member of CFTJ, whether board, volunteer, or supporter, is a fighter. And we’ll keep fighting until justice is served. Support our Annual Fundraiser for Justice at cftjustice.org/donate