Artsakh Government Issues Statement

The Artsakh government has issued a statement stating: “Today, with the support and escort of the Russian peacekeeping forces, 28 individuals have been transferred from Artsakh to Armenia, and 27 from Armenia to Artsakh. All are individuals with urgent humanitarian needs, including health, care for relatives, and family reunification requirements.

Hundreds of other individuals in Artsakh and Armenia are waiting for their opportunity for urgent transfers, not to mention thousands needing to travel in both directions for less urgent purposes.

It is noteworthy that, considering the ongoing 173-day blockade by Azerbaijan, the illegal establishment of a checkpoint in the Lachin (Kashatagh) corridor since April 23, and the application of illegal control measures against the citizens of Artsakh, the ongoing inability of the Russian peacekeeping forces to ensure the corridor regime stipulated in the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, as well as the continuous failure of the international community to guarantee the unhindered movement of people, vehicles, and goods along the Lachin corridor as demanded by the International Court of Justice on February 22, and the deepening humanitarian needs among the population of Artsakh, the government of the Republic of Artsakh considers the blockade that began on December 12, 2022, and the existence of the Azerbaijani checkpoint since April 23, as illegal, as well as the control interventions and other obstacles to the movement of Artsakh citizens, vehicles, and goods.

The statement emphasizes the ongoing and escalating violations of the collective and individual rights of the people of Artsakh in such conditions. It underscores the urgent need for the restoration of the Lachin corridor regime as stipulated by the trilateral statement and affirmed by the decision of the UN court, as well as ensuring the minimum conditions for safety.

The government announces that before the complete restoration of the Lachin corridor regime, it will do its utmost to provide for the urgent humanitarian needs of its citizens by facilitating certain movements along the corridor with the support and escort of the Russian peacekeeping forces and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

It emphasizes that any movement along the corridor under the conditions of the violation of the Lachin corridor regime and the blockade of Artsakh cannot be interpreted as legitimizing Azerbaijan’s illegal control or recognizing non-existent Azerbaijani jurisdiction over those territories, as these movements are made out of necessity based on the dire need to ensure and protect the fundamental rights of the people of Artsakh and the obligations of the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh to their own people.

It is noted that any humanitarian movement that is highly restricted cannot, in any case, be considered as the end of the blockade of Artsakh, as long as there are Azerbaijani control interventions and other obstacles present in the Lachin corridor.