Head of AAC Artsakh Diocese addresses letter to US Vice President  J.D. Vance

ArmInfo.  The head of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, addressed a letter to US Vice President J.D. Vance, urging him to facilitate the return of Armenian prisoners and the preservation of Christian churches and monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh, which are currently under threat of destruction. 

"I express my deep respect and gratitude for the United States'  long-standing commitment to peace and human dignity in the South  Caucasus. I write to you today not only as a spiritual leader, but  also as the shepherd of a displaced flock whose historic churches,  millennia-old religious monuments, and holy sites are currently under  grave threat. Our compatriots remain illegally held in a Baku prison,  held hostage following the official ceasefire of September 20, 2023,  and the agreement signed by the authorities of Nagorno- Karabakh and  Azerbaijan. Furthermore, we have many missing persons from the recent  war in Artsakh," the bishop's message reads.

The head of the Artsakh Diocese noted that the fate of the Armenian  prisoners of war, who remain in custody since September 2023, causes  great pain to the community and deeply wounds the families of the  missing. The uncertainty and suffering experienced by these families  requires urgent international attention and humanitarian assistance,  he said.

"I respectfully request the United States authorities to use their  influence to urge the Azerbaijani leadership to guarantee immediate  and unimpeded access for the International Committee of the Red Cross  and other monitoring bodies to all persons in custody," the bishop  stated.

Referring to the destruction of churches, Christian monuments, and  historical cemeteries of the Artsakh Diocese, which are part of the  world's religious heritage, Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan emphasized that  they are currently under serious threat and are deteriorating daily.

"Independent experts and authoritative observers have documented the  damage and destruction of Armenian religious and cultural sites in  territories now under Azerbaijani control. The Church of St. John the  Baptist (Green Hour) in Shushi and the 18th-century Church of St.  Sarkis in Mohrene are just two examples of sacred sites that have  already been razed to the ground. These sites are more than just  national symbols; they are living testaments to the region's  Christian heritage and the shared history of many peoples.   Therefore, on behalf of all our believers and spiritual brothers, I  call on you to take immediate action to protect this cultural  heritage by ensuring and facilitating international monitoring and  documentation by UNESCO and other impartial scientific and cultural  institutions, guaranteeing unimpeded access for experts and  independent journalists, and supporting initiatives for the long-term  preservation and restoration of sacred sites," the bishop noted in  his message.

The Primate of the Artsakh Diocese is convinced that Vance's visit to  Armenia, as well as his moral authority as Vice President of the  United States, present a unique opportunity to advance urgent  humanitarian solutions to the aforementioned problems.

If possible, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet with  you or a senior member of your delegation to personally present the  testimonies of the families, clergy, and local communities involved  and discuss concrete steps that could be taken in the coming months.

"I pray that your commitment to human rights, justice, and compassion  will help ease the pain of the grieving families and preserve the  sacred heritage that belongs to the entire Christian community and  all humanity," Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan concluded.

On February 5, the Baku puppet court sentenced Arayik Harutyunyan,  David Babayan, David Ishkhanyan, David Manukyan, and Levon  Mnatsakanyan to life imprisonment, and Bako Sahakyan and Arkady  Ghukasyan to 20 years in prison on trumped-up charges. The so-called  court sentenced the remaining Artsakh residents to up to 15 years in  prison. The verdict has not yet been announced for philanthropist  Ruben Vardanyan, whose case has been separated into separate  proceedings.

The head of the Artsakh Diocese, Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, is one of  10 hierarchs.  Armenian Church representatives who called for the  resignation of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. In  mid-December 2025, civil society representatives in Nagorno- Karabakh  appealed to Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II with a request to  consider replacing the head of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian  Apostolic Church. The open letter was signed by approximately 20  public organizations and a number of public figures.