Newsletter of the Artsakh Government – Day 107 Under Blockade

1. The Azerbaijani armed forces have recently resorted to serious provocations against the people of Artsakh, violating the obligations assumed by the Tripartite Statement.

On March 24, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan announced that they have registered the fact of the construction of the new Stepanakert – Ghaibalishen – Lisagor road in Artsakh with the involvement of engineering and special equipment. The Azerbaijani side used this fact in a false context, as if the Armenian side intends to use the mentioned road for the purpose of transporting weapons and ammunition.

The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Artsakh has informed in this regard that the mentioned road is used exclusively for the purpose of the movement of civilians and the transportation of humanitarian goods, taking into account the fact that since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijani government agents have been keeping the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh with the outside world, closed. The Stepanakert-Ghaibalishen-Lisagor road with mountainous and difficult relief is the only inter-community road bypassing the blockaded Shushi highway, and it is necessary to carry out road construction works there in order to provide relatively safe and affordable traffic. Using the false thesis of transporting weapons and ammunition, the Azerbaijani side is trying to mislead the international community and prepare a false information ground for further provocations against the civilian population of Artsakh.

On March 25, the Azerbaijani armed forces violated the line of contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan in the Shushi-Lisagor section and secured a certain positional advance in the territory of the Artsakh Republic. The authorities of Artsakh immediately informed the command staff of the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation about another gross violation.

In Shushi-Lisagor section, following the positional advance of the Azerbaijani armed forces to one of the heights adjacent to the Stepanakert-Ghaibalishen-Lisagor road, the Russian peacekeepers have positioned themselves on the given height and are controlling it. At the same time, they started negotiations with the Azerbaijani side to ensure their return to the starting position. In parallel, the units of the Artsakh Defense Army have taken appropriate steps to prevent possible further provocations by Azerbaijan and, if necessary, to ensure the safe use of the given mountain road.

On March 26, the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Artsakh reported that 2 residents of Sos village came under irregular fire from Azerbaijani positions while doing pruning and cleaning work in the vineyard.

On the same day, 2 residents of Taghavard village were also targeted by Azerbaijani soldiers while doing agricultural work in the wheat field.

On March 26, irregular shots from the Azerbaijani combat positions were fired from rifle weapons at the workers doing agricultural work in the pomegranate orchard in the Martakert regional center.

On March 27, around 9 AM, a unit of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces tried to advance in the direction of one of the heights adjacent to the Stepanakert-Lisagor unpaved road. Thanks to the preventive actions of the soldiers of the Artsakh Armed Forces on combat duty in the mentioned area, the advance attempt of the Azerbaijani unit was stopped.

Fortunately, no one was hurt during the mentioned provocations. All the information about the incidents was passed on to the Russian peacekeeping troops.

2. The Artsakh Foreign Ministry issued a statement regarding the violation of the line of contact by Azerbaijan

On 25 March, the Azerbaijani armed forces, once again flagrantly violating the obligations under the Tripartite Statement of November 9, 2020, crossed the line of contact with the armed forces of the Artsakh Republic and made some positional advancement in the territory of the Artsakh Republic, in the direction of Stepanakert-Lisagor unpaved road.

By such actions, Azerbaijan is seeking to further tighten the blockade of Artsakh, cutting the only link between capital Stepanakert and a number of communities in the republic’s Shushi region.

We expect that the Russian peacekeeping forces will take practical steps to eliminate the consequences of Azerbaijan’s repeated violation of provisions of the Tripartite Statement of November 9, 2020, as well as to prevent new possible violations.

Under these circumstances, it is imperative for the international community to adopt a common tough position to force Azerbaijan to return to the legal framework and implement its international obligations.

3. The State Minister held a consultation on issues related to the civil defense

The need to subject a number of issues to legal regulation by the government’s decision was discussed. It was planned to completely review the existing approach to the nominal registration of reservists during the martial law. It was stipulated to define by the government’s decision the professions and services so that the persons possessing or providing them can be involved in civil defense work. It was planned to fully use the capacities of Artsakh war veterans, disabled people and other persons in such a way as to completely eliminate the need to involve reservists in civil defense works.

Every person involved in civil defense will soon receive a corresponding card, in which his role, task and responsibilities will be defined

4. On March 24, 12 patients were transferred to Armenia by the International Committee of the Red Cross

Another 8 patients, who were referred to Armenia for treatment within the framework of the state order, returned to Artsakh with accompanying persons.

Transfer of patients from Artsakh to Armenia continues to be carried out exclusively with the mediation and escort of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

As of March 27, a total of 215 patients were transferred from Artsakh to Armenia by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

5. The Artsakh Ombudsman, who is on a working visit in South America, held meetings

Gegham Stepanyan, Ombudsman of the Artsakh Republic, who is on a working visit in South America, together with the RA National Assembly Deputy Artur Khachatryan, representative of the South American Committee of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun’s “Hay Dat” Aram Muradyan met with members of the Chamber of Deputies of the National Congress of Argentina Monica Fein and Juan Martin Musacchio.

During the meeting, Gegham Stepanyan presented details of the humanitarian crisis and large-scale human rights violations in Artsakh as a result of the ongoing blockade by Azerbaijan, stressing that the Armenian people expect the practical support of the international community and the neighboring states in order to lift the blockade and oppose the Azerbaijani impunity.

The Human Rights Defender also visited the provincial legislative body of Montevideo of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay and participated in the event organized by the legislative body dedicated to the recognition of the independence of Artsakh.

Update of daily statistics

About 950 people have been deprived of the opportunity to receive necessary medical treatment due to suspension of planned surgeries in all medical facilities of Artsakh.

As of today, 215 patients have been transferred from Artsakh to Armenia to receive appropriate medical care with the mediation and accompaniment of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Due to the Red Cross not having an ambulance and only being able to transport patients with an ordinary vehicle, it is not possible to transport patients needing to lay down because Azerbaijan has obstructed the movement of Artsakh ambulances.

Around 3,900 people, including 570 children, have been separated from their homes as a result of the blockade, however, some have already returned home with the assistance of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers.

No citizen traveled freely along the Stepanakert-Goris highway, and the number of two-way movement of people along the Stepanakert-Goris highway decreased by about 176 times (1,408 entries and exits instead of 262,150 in 107 days), and took place only with the support of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers.

Not a single car of Artsakh citizens passed through the blocked road, and  almost 45 times less vehicle movement was recorded on the Lachin Corridor than it would have been without the blockade (instead of 98,440 in 107 days, 2,207 vehicles, exclusively those of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers, entered and exited)․

About 11 times less vital goods were imported than should have been due to the  blockade (3,771 tons instead of about 42,800 tons in 107 days have been delivered  and only exclusively by the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers).

During the blockade, Azerbaijan completely or partially interrupted the sole gas supply into Artsakh for a total of 41 days, and electricity supply has been completely disrupted for 78 days. This has led to six-hour daily blackouts and additional emergency shutdowns, resulting in many facilities closing or curtailing operations.

782 business entities (18.3% of the total) have suspended their activities due to the impossible operating conditions under the blockade, while the remaining operate partially or with state support.

At estimated 9,800 people (including state-supported temporary work placements and more than 50% of private sector workers) have lost jobs and sources of income as a result of the impact on the economy from the blockade and disruptions of vital infrastructure 

Construction work of 32.6 kilometers of roads, tens of kilometers of water lines, irrigation systems for thousands of hectares of land, 3,717 apartments, and more than 40 social and industrial infrastructures have been stopped.

During the blockade, the economy of the Republic of Artsakh suffered a loss of around 200 million US dollars, leading to decline of the predicted annual GDP index (903 million dollars) by more than 22 percent.

Key facts

Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has blocked all free movement of people, vehicles and cargo, with the exception of the International Committee of Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers, along the Lachin Corridor.

As a result of Azerbaijan’s terroristic crimes, the 120,000 people of Artsakh experience severe shortages of food, medication, fuel and many other vital products. They also face dire issues related to heating, education, healthcare and other basic areas of life, creating a serious humanitarian crisis and violation of fundamental human rights.

Due to the shortages in food, 20 long-day educational institutions have been working partially since January 9, and in different periods, instruction of kindergartens and schools were also completely or partially stopped.

Since the beginning of the blockade, several types of food, specifically almost all types of vegetables and fruits, which were imported from Armenia, have faced drastic shortages and eventually became unavailable. Considering the shortages of food, a special coupon system has been in effect in Artsakh since January 20. Within the coupon system, limited volumes of pasta, buckwheat, rice, sugar, oil, fruits, vegetables, eggs, as well as non-food products like washing powder, are sold.

To further isolate and exacerbate the crisis caused by its blockade, Azerbaijan has attacked Artsakh’s civilian critical infrastructure, regularly interrupting the sole gas supply into Artsakh and fully disabled electricity supply since January 9. Taking into account that the volume of domestic electricity production, currently run on hydropower, is much less than consumption, and the water resources of the Sarsang reservoir are decreasing, rolling blackouts have been instituted. From January 10 Artsakh switched to 2-hour blackouts, from January 17 to 4-hour blackouts, and since January 21 residents experience 6 hours of blackouts each day.

The details of the severe consequences of the blockade are provided in the most recent report by Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman), titled: Report On The Violations Of Individual And Collective Human Rights As A Result Of Azerbaijan’s Blockade Of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) (100 Days)”.
Since the beginning of the blockade, many countries and international organizations have condemned Azerbaijan’s actions and called for the lifting of the blockade. This issue was also discussed in the UN Security Council. European Parliament also adopted a strong resolution on the humanitarian consequences of the Artsakh blockade. The European Court of Human Rights ordered Azerbaijan to take all necessary and sufficient measures to end the blockade. Furthermore, the UN International Court of Justice (The Hague), as part of the proceedings of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, on February 22, 2023, ordered Azerbaijan to lift its blockade and ensure the unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles, and cargo along the Lachin Corridor. However, since then Azerbaijan has done nothing to implement the binding ruling of the highest international judicial institution, even more, has caused additional violations against the Artsakh people, including killing 3 policemen with an ambush attack and constantly escalating the situation with use of force and threat of force.

https://mailchi.mp/c73a120816c2/day107en