Artsakh Ombudsman Calls Out Int'l Community's Indifference as Azerbaijan Blocks Humanitarian Access

The Human Rights Defender of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Gegham Stepanyan, has issued a powerful statement calling on the international community to put an end to the "criminal indifference" and prevent another war crime as Azerbaijan continues to ban humanitarian access to Artsakh.

In the statement, Stepanyan highlights the dire situation caused by the complete ban on humanitarian transportation to Artsakh, which has been in effect for more than a week. The ban has worsened the already existing humanitarian crisis in the region, resulting from a six-month blockade that has left the people of Artsakh facing acute shortages of food and medicine, posing serious existential threats.

Stepanyan accuses Azerbaijan of using humanitarian transportation as a tool of pressure and manipulates it to claim that the Lachin corridor is not blocked, despite the evident restrictions on access. He stresses that Azerbaijan's actions show a sense of total impunity, ignoring the provisions of the Trilateral Statement, as well as decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The Ombudsman contends that Azerbaijan is offering false promises while criminally blocking humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh. He urges the international community not to overlook the reality of the situation and the genocidal policy pursued by Azerbaijan, which includes ethnic cleansing and forced subjugation. Stepanyan emphasizes that both cases grossly violate the fundamental human rights of self-determination and the right to live in a homeland free of discrimination and ethnic hatred.

Stepanyan calls on the international community to take urgent action, emphasizing that the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian access is a war crime under international law. He implores international actors to stop turning a blind eye to the critical situation faced by 120,000 people on a daily basis and demands more than just occasional statements of concern.

The Ombudsman's message is clear: indifference and inaction are equal to complicity. Stepanyan urges the international community to acknowledge their responsibility in the face of this crisis and to counteract Azerbaijan's actions with immediate and effective methods. The situation in Artsakh demands urgent attention and action to protect the rights and lives of its people.