Azerbaijanis Disrupt Mobile Communication and Internet Coverage in Artsakh, Warns Artsakh Ombudsman

The water issue in Artsakh is acute. In Stepanakert, 20% of the population is deprived of water, while in most communities the problem is expressed at almost 80%. In some communities, water supply is on a schedule, and residents may have access to water for only one or two days a week. This was stated by Artsakh Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan during a briefing with journalists.

"The problem is caused by several factors. The first factor is the hot weather conditions and the scarcity of water resources, the second is the increase in the population of Stepanakert, and the third factor is that some water resources remain under Azerbaijani occupation," Stepanyan noted.

Regarding disruptions in mobile communication and internet services, Stepanyan said, "This issue has been ongoing for a long time; for over a month, mobile communication and the internet have been experiencing failures. The Azerbaijani side is specifically using technical means to disrupt the mobile and internet coverage. This has happened before, but usually during visits by high-ranking officials to Artsakh."

Stepanyan also mentioned that they have informed Russian peacekeepers about the issues. Speaking about periodic power outages in Stepanakert, he emphasized that these pose serious security risks. "This is because Artsakh is largely supplied by a hydroelectric power station built near the Sarsang reservoir, whose capacity is insufficient to provide electricity across all of Artsakh, which is why there are regular disruptions. If specific measures are not taken to ensure energy security, we will face serious issues next autumn," he warned.

The Ombudsman of Artsakh also noted that the population of Stepanakert has increased by around 13,000, exacerbating housing provision issues. "Even before the war, there were significant problems with the housing stock in Stepanakert, and now this issue is more pronounced. Some people have moved into hotels, some into dormitories, and others into makeshift accommodations, where sanitary conditions are not ensured."

When asked whether there is a bread and food supply issue due to the occupation of many agricultural lands by Azerbaijanis, Stepanyan indicated that no such problems have been recorded so far.