Artsakh has been under siege for 138 days.

On 28 April, at 12:15, the Askeran Regional Police Department received a report from Sevak Petrosyan, the Head of the Nakhichevanik Community, that shots were fired with firearms of different calibers from the enemy’s combat positions at a citizen while the latter was carrying out agricultural work in the administrative area of ​​the said village.

Artsakh InfoCenter informs that the residents of Yeghtsahogh, Hin Shen, Mets Shen, and Lisagor communities of the Shushi region remained under a two-way blockade; communities are on the brink of a humanitarian disaster.

After Azerbaijan installed a checkpoint on the border with the Republic of Armenia along the highway connecting Artsakh to Armenia (in the Lachin Corridor), the communities in the area were cut off from the opportunity to travel to the Republic of Armenia. These villages have been cut off from the rest of Artsakh since December 12, 2022.

On 27 April, the President of the Artsakh Republic, Arayik Harutyunyan, received the newly appointed Commander of the Russian Peacekeeping Forces, Colonel General Alexander Lentsov.

“I conveyed to him the expectation of the Artsakh authorities from the Russian peacekeeping forces, that in a short period of time, the elimination of all obstacles to bilateral communication between Artsakh and Armenia and security will be ensured, in accordance with the obligations assumed by the Tripartite Declaration.

During the meeting, we discussed the activities of the peacekeeping troops, lifting the siege of Artsakh, maintaining the regime of the Lachine Corridor, guaranteeing the normal functioning of vital infrastructures, and other issues.”

On 23 April, the Azerbaijani side, once again grossly violating the provisions of the Trilateral Agreement of 2020, on 23 April closed the Hakari Bridge on the Artsakh-Armenia border, which is located in the area of ​​responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping troops, in the “Lachin Corridor”.

In connection with the closing of the Hakari Bridge, the President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan called an urgent meeting of the Security Council on the same day.  All members of the Security Council unanimously adopted a statement , which, in particular reads:

“Considering absolutely unacceptable the blocking of the Lachin Corridor connecting Artsakh with Armenia, which is under the responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping troops, and the installation of a checkpoint there by Azerbaijan on April 23,

Noting that with that step, the people of Artsakh have finally become hostage in the hands of Azerbaijan, with an increasing risk of ethnic cleansing, and the further operation of the Tripartite Declaration is seriously threatened,

We appeal to the parties of the Tripartite Declaration, and especially the Russian Federation, to immediately start discussions on lifting the blockade of Artsakh, preventing the establishment of an Azerbaijani check point and providing real guarantees for the security of the people of Artsakh.

We expect effective steps to solve the security and humanitarian problems facing the people of Artsakh in the shortest possible time, the absence of which will allow the authorities and the people of Artsakh to decide what to do next.”

On 22 February, the court published the decision regarding the request submitted by Armenia and stated: “Since 12 December, the connection through the Lachin Corridor has been disrypted, the supply of food, medicine and other necessary goods to Nagorno Karabakh has been hindered, which can cause irreparable damage.

“The Court considers that it is necessary to apply a temporary measure and court records that Azerbaijan is obliged to take the measures that depend on it to ensure the uninterrupted movement of people and goods in both directions through the Lachin Corridor.”

It was noted that the court’s decision came into force from the moment of its publication.

However, the fact is that the road is still closed. The cases of violation of the ceasefire regime by Azerbaijan have increased; this is confirmed by the reports of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Due to the lack of international pressure on Azerbaijan, the Armenians of Artsakh are facing a humanitarian disaster. The appeals of the international community have been ignored by the leadership of Azerbaijan until now.

Fundamental human rights have been violated for 138 days, and international organizations and states are silent.

Due to the terrorist behavior of the Azerbaijani side, the villages of Shushi region are completely cut off from the capital of Artsakh and other settlements.

It should be noted that the Governing Board of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia also made a statement. “This blockade, under the guise of environmentalism, pursues   the realization of the corrupt ambitions of the despotic leadership of Azerbaijan to seize the most important assets of Artsakh’s economy.”

Photo from Artsakh InfoCenter.