Humanitarian situation in Artsakh deteriorates by the hour, stores are empty
YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. The humanitarian situation in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is deteriorating by the hour, Artsakh human rights defender Gegham Stepanyan says.
"All stores are empty. The complete lack of food and basic necessities is causing suffering for 120,000 people, including 30,000 children," he says in a video posted on his Facebook page.
The ombudsman's office is documenting the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the blockade of Lachin corridor and calling for immediate international intervention.
For the past 35 days Artsakh has been under complete siege without any humanitarian supplies. The Lachin corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijanis since December 12 last year.
Earlier Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev said that 'Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh must either adopt Azerbaijani citizenship or look for another place of residence.'
On April 23, Azerbaijan established a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor, which is the only road linking Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world.
Armenian authorities called repeatedly on Russian peacekeeping contingent to take action to remove the checkpoint, however, no action followed.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry said that Armenia expects that the international community will use all available tools to ensure the implementation of the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6, 2023 on the opening of the Lachin corridor. -0-
