Over 120,000 Citizens in Artsakh Under Complete Blockade, Will There Be Any Documentation? Protest in Front of the UN

Regardless of political and party affiliations, we are here for one purpose—to express our voice of protest. Unfortunately, there is no UN representation in Stepanakert, and our brothers and sisters in Artsakh do not have an organization to which they can go to raise their voices amid an unprecedented situation in the world.

This was stated by Ruben Melikyan, the former Human Rights Defender of Artsakh and co-founder of the NGO "Legal Path," during a protest in front of the UN office in Armenia. "We are here not only to raise our voice but also to represent our compatriots in Artsakh to the UN office. The sense of dignity among our people has not disappeared, and our voice can become, one day, the echo in the mountains that brings an avalanche... Currently, over 120,000 citizens in Artsakh are under complete blockade," he announced.

In turn, Asprom Krpeyan, a member of the 'Armenia' faction in the National Assembly, said, "What will a dignified Armenian do in this humanitarian catastrophe? We have one mission—to stand by the Artsakh people, our brothers and sisters in Artsakh. We are with you; we will not leave you alone, your pain is our pain, your struggle is our struggle."

During the rally, member of the ARF, Gor Sargsyan, noted, "There have been numerous political prisoners in Armenia; the UN office did not respond in any way. The parents of those killed in Yerablur were beaten, and the UN did not respond. A war was unleashed against Artsakh, the peaceful population was bombed, and the UN did nothing. Phosphorus weapons were used, and nothing happened. Today, our compatriots are under blockade and facing a humanitarian disaster, will there be any documentation? Will you do something against the genocidal policy against the Armenian people, or are you on the same team with Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan?"

It should be noted that today, young people from Artsakh organized a protest in Freedom Square, supported by residents of Armenia and displaced persons from Artsakh. Those gathered at Freedom Square indicated that they want to convey their voice of protest to foreign embassies in Armenia, urging them to end the blockade of Artsakh and open the Lachin corridor.

Participants in the protest carried placards reading: "Stop Azerbaijan's Aggression," "120,000 People Are Under Blockade," "This is a Crime Against Humanity," "We Stand by You, Artsakh." The protesters chanted, "Artsakh, Artsakh," as they moved from Freedom Square to the UN office in Armenia, where they delivered two letters to the UN staff. The letters specifically address the international community, calling on them to refrain from double standards, condemn Azerbaijan's inhumane behavior, and use their tools to prevent attempts of ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan in Artsakh.