Artsakh has been under siege for 184 days.
It has been half a year that Azerbaijan has closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia and the world. Due to the blockade, 30 thousand children from Artsakh are deprived of basic rights: they cannot get a full education, participate in international events and tournaments, solve other health and livelihood problems.
The children of Artsakh have once again expressed their protest to the international community from the territory of the symbolic monument “We are our mountains”, where the “Ararich” charitable foundation organized a cultural entertainment for them.
The President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, continues his meetings with representatives of various circles of the public, members of non-governmental organizations, and employees of the state administration system.
During the past week, President Harutyunyan met with scientific and student councils of state and non-state universities, representatives of sports structures, employees of the fields of healthcare, urban development, territorial administration and infrastructure, and members of the public council.
During the meetings, the President commented on the provisions of his message of 23 May, presented the military-political situation around Artsakh and formulated the actions aimed at facing internal and external challenges.
After Azerbaijan installed an illegal checkpoint on 23 April on the border with Armenia on the highway connecting Artsakh to Armenia, the communities of Hin Shen, Mets Shen, Lisagor and Yeghtsahogh of Berdadzor sub-district of Shushi region were under a bilateral blockade, deprived of all possibilities of communication with the rest of Artsakh and Armenia. Due to the Azerbaijani obstacles, all kinds of humanitarian supplies to the residents of those villages were also stopped.
On 22 February, the International Court published the decision regarding the request submitted by Armenia and stated: “Since 12 December, the connection through the Lachin Corridor has been disrupted, 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 184 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.”
