The CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia, strongly condemning the blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor of the Republic of Artsakh (hereinafter referred to as Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh) by a group of Azeri pseudo-environmental activists backed by the corrupt authoritarian government of the Republic of Azerbaijan (hereinafter referred to as Azerbaijan) since 12 December, 2022, emphasizes that by this inhumane act:

• The genocidal policy of Azerbaijan towards Armenians which has been continuing for over a century, the goal of which is the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh and the displacement of its indigenous people.
• The following has undergone blatant violation:

1. Human rights guaranteed under international documents,
2. The agreement signed between Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on 9 November, 2020 in its entirety and in particular its Article 6,
3. The right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh obtained by due process of law.

The Governing Board of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia has issued a statement on this.

Under the guise of environmental protection claims, this blockade pursues the realization of the corrupt ambitions of Azerbaijan’s dictatorial leadership to seize the most essential resources of Artsakh’s economy.

In this regard we would like to draw the attention of the international community to the following facts:

1. The Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor is the sole blood artery feeding Artsakh, through which food and medicine are transported to the independent republic; it is the only path of life for the people of Artsakh, and by closing it, Azerbaijan has created a humanitarian disaster for 120,000 people, including around 30,000 children.
2. Azerbaijan has been considered for years by various authoritative international organizations as an unfree state with dictatorial elements, with many abuses of freedom of speech and human rights, including the persecution of people outside the territory of this country, and among them, the persecution of foreigners.
3. Since the beginning of the 21st century, there have been numerous corruption scandals with the involvement of the president of this country and his family members, as well as public officials, in relation to whom a number of journalistic investigations have been published on international platforms, such as the OCCPR.
4. In the materials published in the press, there are numerous episodes describing Aliyev’s attempts to bribe officials of foreign states and international organizations.
5. In those corruption scandals, the attitude of president Aliev towards environmental problems is clearly outlined; as well as his direct involvement in the mining industry, including the remarkable details of deals on the disputed mines in the territory Artsakh, the tracks of which lead to the Great Britain.

Given these facts, we would like to emphasize that international organizations and states show inaction, turning a blind eye to the Artsakh problem and the flagrant injustice taking place in the 21st century, being satisfied, in some instances, only with disseminating declarative, heartbreaking statements by individual groups, and putting a sign of equality between the aggressor and the real victim without making efforts to have an effective intervention.

Considering these facts, we urge:

1. The authorities of the Republic of Armenia:

• Carry out active diplomatic work both with key European and UN member states, drawing their attention to the Artsakh issue and demanding immediate imposition of strict sanctions against Azerbaijan,
• Immediately raise the issue in the UN Security Council, demanding the imposition of strict sanctions against Azerbaijan, first of all, with the aim of opening the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor and preventing the growing humanitarian disaster and inhumane acts in Artsakh;
• At the UN Security Council, to discuss the issues of the release of all Armenian prisoners of war, the immediate withdrawal of the occupying forces of Azerbaijan from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia,
• Demand from the Russian Federation to immediately, completely and unconditionally fulfil its obligation undertaken under Article 6 of the Agreement signed between Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on 9 November, 2020, while simultaneously bringing the issue forth in the UN Security Council regarding the possibility of deploying peacekeepers under the international mandate in Artsakh.
• Raise the issue of the impossibility of Artsakh to be a part of Azerbaijan and the implementation of the international norm of “secession for the sake of salvation” before all relevant international bodies, demanding the recognition of Artsakh’s independence.
• Urgently declare State of Emergency in the country, bring the army to martial law readiness, ensure the replenishment of provisions and supplies for emergency situations.
• Urgently stop the fulfilment of the obligations undertaken towards Azerbaijan, including the provision of the air route communication from Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan and the provision of other communication systems.

2. All international structures dealing with the protection of human rights: immediately address the facts of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law covenants by Azerbaijan and take effective measures to prevent another act of genocide of the Armenian nation and eliminate the threat of it through ethnic cleansing of the 120,000 population of Artsakh.
3. The international anti-corruption structures: Call on the member states of the United Nations and especially the European states to apply appropriate sanctions against the dictatorial regime of Azerbaijan in order to discontinue the blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor that has been ongoing for about 20 days and thereby the isolation of thousands of people of Artsakh from the world.

Governing Board of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia

29.12.2022

Note: The CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia is a professional civil society structure founded on 28 November, 2014 in Yerevan, Armenia. Currently, more than 50 civil society organizations are members of the Coalition. Its coordination is carried out by the Governing Board, and the functions of the Secretariat are carried out by the Armenian Lawyers’ Association.