Azerbaijan's Hosting of Formula 1 Aims to Conceal Ethnic Cleansing Policy Against Artsakh Armenians: Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of the Republic of Armenia calls on the organizers of the Formula 1 Grand Prix European competition, scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from April 28 to 30, and the international sports community to raise their voice against the Azerbaijani authorities' ethnic cleansing policies in Artsakh. This was reported by the ministry.

The ministry draws attention to the fact that since December 12, 2022, the Republic of Azerbaijan has illegally blocked the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia and the world, the Lachin corridor, effectively plunging Artsakh into a humanitarian disaster.

On February 22, 2023, the International Court of Justice of the United Nations upheld Armenia's application, obliging Azerbaijan to immediately reopen the Lachin corridor. To date, Azerbaijan has not only failed to comply with the court's decision but has also cut off gas supplies and electricity.

On April 23, Azerbaijan's authorities set up an illegal checkpoint in the humanitarian corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, effectively taking the 120,000 Armenian residents of Artsakh hostage.

The authorities of Azerbaijan aim to subject the Armenian population of Artsakh to ethnic cleansing through this policy, forcing them to flee their homeland. The organization of the '2023 Formula 1 Grand Prix' in Baku is essentially aimed at concealing the policy of extermination against the Armenians of Artsakh. We urge the organizers and participants of the Formula 1 Grand Prix not to become part of the cover-up of the ethnic cleansing policy,” the ministry emphasized.

It is worth noting that since December 12, 2022, a group of Azerbaijanis in civilian clothes has closed the Stepanakert-Goris highway, connecting Artsakh to Armenia, under the pretext of environmental reasons.