Artsakh human rights defender Gegham Stepanyan wrote on his Facebook page:
“Since the installation of an illegal checkpoint on the Goris-Stepanakert highway near the Hakar bridge on April 23, Azerbaijan has been obstructing the everyday activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Nagorno-Karabakh with artificial reasons, by which the Azerbaijani side not only violates the provisions of international humanitarian law but also grossly violates the agreement reached during the blockade regarding the transfer of persons in extremely critical health condition to RA. With this, Azerbaijan directly ignores the decision of the European Court of Human Rights of December 21, 2022, by which the court obliged Azerbaijan to take all necessary and sufficient measures to ensure the movement of seriously ill persons in need of medical care in Armenia through the Lachin Corridor.
During this period, ICRC carried out the transportation of medical patients twice: on April 28 (13 medical patients) and April 29 (16 medical patients). From April 29, the transfer of medical patients to RA medical institutions with the mediation of the ICRC has been completely stopped. According to the information obtained by the human rights defender’s office, the Azerbaijani side put forward additional conditions, demanding to check the vehicles transporting the medical patients, the passports of the Red Cross employees, and the medical patients, violating the agreements reached before that. According to the information from the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Artsakh, 30 patients in severe conditions are waiting for emergency transportation.
Azerbaijan deliberately obstructs the supply of necessary medicine to Artsakh through the Red Cross, resulting in serious problems arising in Artsakh’s medical facilities.
To isolate Artsakh as a whole, the Azerbaijani side is taking purposeful actions to hinder even the activities of humanitarian organizations in Artsakh, regularly presenting additional artificial demands.
Even in matters of a humanitarian nature, Azerbaijan is still waiting to show constructiveness. It does not miss the opportunity to terrorize the population and deepen the physical and psychological suffering of the people caused by the blockade, deliberately deepening the humanitarian crisis. Azerbaijan’s behavior directly contradicts international law and the principles of humanity, which international organizations and the human rights community should condemn. We expect the practical intervention of international organizations in the direction of the settlement of this most critical issue of a humanitarian nature.”
