IBAHRI calls for written submissions for inquiry into Nagorno-Karabakh cultural heritage destruction
Wednesday 18 February 2026
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and a panel of United Kingdom parliamentarians are inviting written submissions to inform an inquiry into the destruction of cultural heritage of the Armenian people in Nagorno-Karabakh.
In the past ten years, acts of intentional destruction to cultural heritage have become increasingly prevalent during, or in the aftermath of, armed conflict. Cultural heritage – both tangible and intangible – constitutes a unique, important and irreplaceable record of the histories, cultures and identities of people. Its degradation or destruction represents not only a profound loss to the affected communities, but to the international community as a whole.
Anyone with relevant knowledge is welcome to submit written responses to 17 questions to the inquiry including what possible avenues exist for accountability and what challenges are faced when trying to bring the issue to international attention.
Click here
for further information and submission guidelines.
The deadline for submissions is Saturday 28 February 2026.
About the inquiry
The inquiry is led by cross-party UK parliamentarians – the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on International Law, Justice and Accountability and the APPG on Armenia – in partnership with the IBAHRI. Co-chaired by MP Brendan O’Hara and IBAHRI Director Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC, the inquiry focuses on the destruction of cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh since 2023, the legal responses taken and those that could be taken to address it, as a matter of urgent international concern. It also aims to give victims and survivors a platform to ensure their voices are heard and that their experiences shape subsequent recommendations for the UK government.
The inquiry will:
- assess the scale and nature of cultural heritage destruction in Nagorno-Karabakh since the escalation of conflict in 2023, with particular focus on the erasure of Armenian cultural presence;
- examine legal and policy responses to date, highlighting effective practices, shortcomings, and gaps requiring further action;
- identify potential avenues for justice and accountability, as well as redress under international and domestic legal frameworks; and
- formulate recommendations for engagement by the UK government and relevant international actors.
Submissions
The IBAHRI welcomes written contributions from anyone with relevant experience and/or expertise. Details on submission criteria, deadlines, and procedures are available at: Home | Nagorno Karabakh Inquiry.
This inquiry presents an important opportunity to contribute to accountability, the protection of cultural heritage and the development of effective legal responses to its destruction.
ENDS
Contact: IBAHRI@int-bar.org
Notes:
- The inquiry team
-
Brendan O'Hara, Member, House of Commons
-
Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC, IBAHRI Director; Peer, House of Lords
-
John Whittingdale, Member, House of Commons
-
Jessica Morden, Member, House of Commons
-
Lord McInnes, Peer, House of Lords
-
Lord Alton, Peer, House of Lords
-
Baroness Hooper, Peer, House of Lords
-
Áine MacDonald, IBAHRI Programme Coordinator
- The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), established in 1995 under Founding Honorary President Nelson Mandela, is an autonomous entity working to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just rule of law, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.
- Find the IBAHRI on social media here:
- The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, with the aim of protecting and promoting the rule of law globally, the IBA was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.
Website page link for this news release:
Short link: tinyurl.com/ydx4v4fd
Full link: www.ibanet.org/IBAHRI-calls-for-written-submissions-for-inquiry-into-Nagorno-Karabakh-cultural-heritage-destruction