TATOYAN Foundation Presents Evidence of Azerbaijani Authorities Organizing the Blockade of the Lachin Corridor

The access for citizens to territories under Azerbaijani control as a result of the 44-day war is regulated by Azerbaijani legislation. Therefore, the movement of 'activists' who illegally blocked the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia could not have occurred without the permission of the Azerbaijani authorities. This is supported by the studies of the Center for Law and Justice 'TATOYAN' Foundation, based on the decree signed by the President of Azerbaijan on October 29, 2020.

It is noteworthy that according to Azerbaijani law, the Ministry of Internal Affairs grants permits for entry into areas of Artsakh under Azerbaijani control based on a citizen's written or electronic application. The studies indicate that to obtain the relevant permission, citizens can only apply within the framework of state-organized specific visits, primarily those individuals (mostly state and cultural figures, journalists) who are previously informed about their inclusion in the visit group.

In other words, a private citizen or non-public figure cannot freely enter or move around the specified areas at their discretion. Moreover, an analysis of Azerbaijani media and social networks confirms that there is a selective granting of permissions in Azerbaijan, a policy that has stirred discontent even within Azerbaijan.

Many citizens of Azerbaijan complain that only participants of state-organized events receive permissions, while access for private visits is granted only to those affiliated with the government. For instance, in February 2021, six residents of the Agjabadi region of Azerbaijan traveled to Fizuli and Hadrut and were subsequently stopped by the police. As reported by the Azerbaijani section of BBC News, the Ministry of Internal Affairs informed them that investigations are underway to assess their actions legally.

This further substantiates that the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia and the world has been illegally blocked since December 12, 2022, by those claiming to be 'eco-activists,' who, in fact, have been proven to be agents of the Azerbaijani government and instruments of its ethnic cleansing policies.