YEREVAN, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. In order to prevent the humanitarian crisis international organizations must impose sanctions against Azerbaijan in addition to making statements condemning its actions, the caretaker Foreign Minister of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) David Babayan said in a statement.

“This is nothing but a challenge to the civilized world. Because an entire nation is starving to death. Elsewhere around the world children are dancing and asking Santa Claus for presents. Our children don’t even have bread to eat, they are starving,” Babayan said.

Azerbaijan is keeping the Lachin Corridor blocked since 12 December 2022. The Lachin Corridor is the only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the rest of the world. The closure resulted in 120,000 Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh being isolated and deprived from the right to freedom of movement. Nearly all grocery stores and pharmacies are empty amid widespread shortages of essential items because the road is the only supply route.

The blockade is organized by the Azerbaijani authorities under the fake pretext of an environmental demonstration demanding access to a mine for inspection.  Furthermore, many of the self-described environmentalists blocking the road have been identified as military intelligence officers or other state-affiliated agents of Azerbaijan. Moreover, the government of Artsakh said it would halt the operations of the mine operated by Base Metals and invite an international monitoring to inspect the site. However, the road is still blocked by the Azerbaijanis, once again proving that the blockade has nothing to do with any environmental campaign.

Officials in Armenia and Artsakh have numerously warned that by blocking the road Azerbaijan wants to cause a humanitarian catastrophe and commit ethnic cleansing against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.