Head of Abovyan community Eduard Babayan appealed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and President of UN ECOSOC Lachesara Stoeva

Eduard Babayan, head of the Abovyan community, who is also the human rights referent of the Armenian office of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), appealed to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the UN Economic and Social Council Lachesara Stoeva regarding the situation around the Lachin Corridor.

We present the letter in its entirety.

From December 12, a group of Azerbaijanis posing as environmentalists blocked the only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia. According to the Azerbaijani media, the action has no political considerations. The activists took this step when they were forbidden to make environmental observations in the territory of the Drmbon and Kashen mines. It is evident, however, that environmental considerations are an excuse: We can confidently call the created situation a blockade, during this period the Azerbaijanis have repeatedly voiced political demands and threats. For about 10 days now, Azerbaijanis have blocked the way of life connecting Artsakh to Armenia, and more than 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh are actually living under siege.

Back on December 12, the human rights defender of Artsakh reported that as a result of the closure of the Artsakh-Armenia road, 1,100 people were left on the road in freezing winter conditions, including 270 children. We must note that the Azerbaijanis, ignoring human rights and the norms of international humanitarian law, continue to create a humanitarian disaster in Artsakh: It became impossible to supply food, medicine and essential goods, the right to life and health of many patients in the medical institutions of the Republic of Artsakh, who urgently need to continue treatment in Yerevan, was violated. Education, work, freedom of movement and many other rights and fundamental freedoms of thousands of people were violated. As a referent of human rights by the UN ECOSOC Armenian representative, as an advocate for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, I am deeply concerned about the fate of our compatriots.

Artsakh needs all of us, I appeal to you with a request and hope that by implementing all possible measures, it will be possible to restore the normal life and activities of the Artsakh people, promote the right to self-determination of the Artsakh people and prevent the danger of the new genocide. We call on all International Organizations to take every possible step to stop the siege of Artsakh and protect the right to life of the people living in Artsakh.

Best Regards,
Eduard Babayan.
Refent of human rights.