Lachin Corridor 'Open and Safe' Claims Are Deceptive, Says Artsakh Prosecutor's Office

The Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Artsakh has responded to statements concerning the 12-day blockade of Artsakh: "As is well known, since December 12, 2022, the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia has been blocked by Azerbaijani citizens and remains impassable to this day. Azerbaijan officially denies any state involvement in the road closure process, claiming that the road is open and safe. However, the combination of certain data, as well as the results of carried out criminal procedural and operational investigative measures, allows for certain conclusions and records that fundamentally change the entire logic of actions and reveal the true objectives of the Azerbaijani side's statements. Thus:

• According to the first point of the trilateral statement dated November 9, 2020, "The Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, hereinafter referred to as the Parties, remain in their occupied positions." It is clear from the aforementioned that the reference is to state entities (not armed forces), which implies that the Parties had undertaken an obligation not to violate a specific line of contact, a commitment that the Azerbaijani side has not fulfilled.
• Individuals presenting themselves as environmentalists reached the blocked section of the road connecting Artsakh to Armenia accompanied by officials from the Republic of Azerbaijan, as free movement in the territories under Azerbaijani control is prohibited following the 44-day war in 2020.
• Among the Azerbaijani citizens in the blocked section of the road connecting Artsakh to Armenia are former and current representatives of special services or armed forces, as well as members of non-governmental organizations operating with state funding.
• In response to the inter-state lawsuit filed at the European Court of Human Rights by the Republic of Armenia, Azerbaijan has officially stated that the road is being kept closed by Russian peacekeepers, while published videos prove otherwise.
• Azerbaijan has excluded the state's involvement or organization in the process of 'environmentalists' being stationed in the Lachin corridor in written clarifications presented to the ECHR, raising questions about the Azerbaijani side's claims and assertions that the road is safe and guaranteed for traffic.
• The blockade of the road connecting Artsakh to Armenia has been clearly attended by individuals who have previously expressed anti-Armenian sentiments and behaviors publicly, showcasing themselves in social networks with hate speech, including photos with individuals convicted for the murder of Armenians. Under such circumstances, claims that the road is 'open and safe' are deceptive and an attempt to mislead the international community.
• After the 2020 44-day war, Azerbaijan offers the same population of Artsakh, under known conditions of the most brutal atrocities against the civilian population, 'unhindered and safe' communication with Armenia via the blocked section of the road," the Prosecutor's Office stated in its message.