Azerbaijan Cuts Communication Lines from Armenia: Gegham Stepanyan

According to facts gathered by the Office of the Human Rights Defender, on January 12 at around 15:30, the Azerbaijani side deliberately cut the communication lines coming from the Republic of Armenia to Artsakh in the area of Shushi (the blockade site), disrupting the availability of telecommunications and fixed internet across the entire territory of Artsakh. This was reported by the Artsakh Human Rights Defender.

Taking advantage of the fact that the infrastructure leading to Artsakh passes through areas under Azerbaijani control, the Azerbaijani side is intentionally crippling the operations of vital infrastructure, as evidenced by interruptions in gas supply (March 2022, December 2022), and obstructing the restoration of high-voltage electrical lines since January 9, alongside periodic disruptions in internet and mobile communication within Artsakh.

In the context of the complete blockade of Artsakh, this method of infrastructural terrorism aims to subject the peaceful population of Artsakh to additional suffering and to create unbearable human conditions within the region. Azerbaijan's behavior disrespects the human rights agenda, human values, and civilization. States and international organizations, especially the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group—Russia, the USA, and France—are obliged to put an end to Azerbaijan's criminal impunity.