Blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh | ||||
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Part of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict | ||||
Azerbaijan's military checkpoint on the Lachin corridor (top and bottom left), which was the only road connecting Artsakh to the outside world. EUMA monitors view the military checkpoint in the distance and the emergency aid convoy of trucks that Azerbaijan has blocked from entering (bottom right). | ||||
Date | 12 December 2022 – 30 September 2023 (9 months, 2 weeks and 4 days) | |||
Location | Nagorno-Karabakh | |||
Goals | ||||
Methods | ||||
Resulted in |
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Parties | ||||
Lead figures | ||||
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Material consequences for individuals | ||||
Death(s) | 4 civilians[b][45][46][47][48] | |||
Detained | 2 independent journalists,[38] 5 civilians [49][50][4][51] | |||
Workers laid off | 11,000, including over 50% of private sector workers [52] |
The blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh was an event in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The region was disputed between Azerbaijan and the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, which had an ethnic Armenian population and was supported by neighbouring Armenia, until the dissolution of Republic of Artsakh on 28 September 2023.[53]
On 12 December 2022, under the guise of environmental protests, the Azerbaijani government launched a blockade of the Republic of Artsakh[54][55][56] by sending citizens claiming to be eco-activists to block the Lachin corridor, a humanitarian corridor which connected Artsakh to Armenia and the outside world.[57][58][59] Disguised military personnel, civil servants, members of pro-government NGOs, and youth organisations were among the so-called activists.[60] The Azerbaijani government consolidated its blockade by seizing territory around the Lachin corridor both within Artsakh and Armenia, blocking alternative bypass routes, and installing military checkpoints.[61][62][63] Azerbaijan also sabotaged critical civilian infrastructure of Artsakh, crippling access to gas, electricity, and internet access.[20][64][65]
The blockade led to a humanitarian crisis for the population in Artsakh; imports of essential goods have been blocked, as well as humanitarian convoys of the Red Cross and the Russian peacekeepers, trapping the 120,000 residents of the region.[66][67][68] Shortages of essential goods – including electricity, fuel, and water reserves – were widespread and emergency reserves were rationed, along mass unemployment, and closures of schools and public transportation.[69][70][71][72]
Azerbaijan claimed its actions were aimed at preventing the transportation of weapons and natural resources;[73][74] Azerbaijan also said its goal was for Artsakh's "integration" into Azerbaijan, despite opposition from the population, and threatened military action.[75][76][77][78]
Numerous countries, international organizations, and human rights observers condemned the blockade and considered it to be a form of hybrid warfare,[2][79][80] ethnic cleansing,[81][82][83] and genocide.[84][85][86] Multiple international observers also considered the blockade and the inaction of the Russian peacekeepers to be violations of the tripartite ceasefire agreement signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia, which ended the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and guaranteed safe passage through the Lachin corridor.[87][88][89] Azerbaijan ignored calls from various countries and international organizations to restore freedom of movement through the corridor.[90][39] The blockade ended on 30 September 2023, following an Azerbaijani military offensive and the subsequent exodus of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.[91]
The president of Azerbaijan has delivered an ultimatum to de facto authorities in Nagorno Karabakh: disband your government or prepare for the consequences. He suggested Baku could easily end Armenian administration of the region through military action.
Azerbaijan's approach has morphed into a strategy to render Nagorno-Karabakh unviable as a de facto state. This tactic is meant to bring about an outflow of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through the creation of a humanitarian crisis and to delegitimise the project of de facto statehood and the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Every military escalation since the 2020 War has resulted in Azerbaijani forces gaining ground, and never the other way around. This resembles creeping annexation of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia...The EU's limited involvement in the conflict, especially inside Nagorno-Karabakh, has led to it being perceived as a reluctant partner, and has undermined its normative credentials. By not addressing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which would have entailed some restraining of Aliyev's aggressive policies against Armenians, the ethnic cleansing of Armenians is now imminent.
:c3
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Azerbaijan knows the time is ripe for another push to seize territory currently home to ethnic Armenians and de facto annex it to full Azerbaijani control, framing its actions as countering Russian influence in order to win Western acquiescence, if not open support
Korah
was invoked but never defined (see the help page)....on March 26, 2023, Azerbaijani troops crossed the line of contact to launch an operation to cut off a dirt road that was providing some relief from the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, in violation of the 2020 cease-fire statement
:60
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).:67
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).:68
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Since 12 January, the cable for the internet connection has been sabotaged at the Azerbaijani blockade along the Lachin corridor.
The blockade and deliberate attacks on the critical infrastructure of Artsakh are a violation of Article 11.1, Right to Adequate Standard of Living and Article 12, The Right to Healthcare of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
CuttingOff
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Whereas Azerbaijan has taken dangerous, escalatory steps that have severely worsened the quality of life for the people living in Artsakh...through the sabotage of civilian infrastructure such as a critical natural gas pipeline, power transmission lines, and fixed-line internet.
By cutting access to necessary utilities, more than 120,000 civilians (including children and the elderly), hospitals, schools, universities, and kindergartens have been, deliberately, deprived of gas, heating, and hot water.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly turned off the supply of natural gas and electricity to Artsakh, subjecting its people to freezing temperatures.
:36
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).:77
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).:0
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).:52
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).The information headquarters of the NK reports that 580 people have lost the opportunity to be operated on.
Hospitals in the region have also reported shortages of medical supplies and equipment, putting a hold on around 600 non-essential surgeries so they could tend to more urgent cases in operating rooms.
Pharmacies do not have the necessary medication, and all scheduled surgeries are postponed.
:101
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).The Sarsang Reservoir in Armenian-administered Nagorno-Karabakh is reaching critically low levels...On January 9, the Nagorno-Karabakh government began implementing rolling blackouts since the region was now entirely dependent on its own generation capacity...
Water levels at the Sarsang Hydro Power Plant have dropped by 33 meters to just 15 percent of their maximum, operators say, claiming they could "quickly run out" altogether and spark a catastrophe for the tens of thousands of people living in the isolated territory, as well as the environment around them.
:59
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).:c4
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Although this venture is being spearheaded by alleged environmental activists demanding permission to monitor Karabakh's rare metal deposits...it would be impossible to carry out such an action in Azerbaijan without the cooperation of the authorities.
The European Parliament adopted the Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2022 resolution on January 18. The plenary session also adopted an amendment, saying the European parliament "strongly denounces Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, in violation of the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020, as it threatens to precipitate an intentional humanitarian crisis for the people of NagornoKarabakh; demands that the Azerbaijani authorities restore freedom of movement through the Lachin corridor with immediate effect."
A group of Azerbaijanis claiming to be environmental activists blocked the Lachin corridor.
The report shows that they are clearly 'representatives of Azerbaijani non-governmental organizations, which are directly and exclusively financed by the Azerbaijani government, or the Heydar Aliyev Foundation headed by the first vice president and first lady of Azerbaijan. Furthermore, evidence has been registered that representatives of the Azerbaijani special services are also amongst the alleged "environmental activists" who are currently blocking the only lifeline' for Nagorno-Karabakh.
The "activists" who have been keeping Karabakh under blockade for three consecutive days now have "interesting" identities, but not for any environmental protection activities. In fact, they represent organizations that have very clear connections with the Azerbaijani government and are financed, at least in part, by the state.
Azerbaijani troops redeployed on Thursday morning to more parts of the Lachin district adjacent to the Armenian border, blocking the old [Lachin] corridor section.
:82
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).The move [installation of a checkpoint] has increased the blockade of Nagorny Karabakh...A checkpoint on the border would give Azerbaijan the ability to stop any cars travelling between Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh.
The blockade has deprived over 120,000 ethnic Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, including 30,000 children, of life-saving resources such as food, medicine, electricity and fuel.
Armenian civilians of Nagorno Karabakh and surrounding regions along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border are threatened by Azerbaijan's military and face violence if they try to leave Armenian territory within disputed areas.
While travellers were already few due to the blockade, the ICRC reports that its ability to get people across has been curtailed [since the installation of the checkpoint], leaving only the Russian peacekeepers to facilitate trips to Armenia for medical care.
Checkpoint on Lachin corridor faced fierce opposition amid humanitarian crisis....Azerbaijani military consolidated [the] blockade, however, leading to even fewer crossings and reduced transportation of goods.
When Azerbaijan's blockade began, kindergartens and schools were among the first institutions to be shut down due to gas supply cuts and shortages, depriving students across dozens of schools of the right to education. Since then, the operations of nearly every educational institution in Nagorno-Karabakh, including NGOs with branches in Stepanakert and across the region, have been deeply disturbed by the blockade.
Others see the escalating humanitarian situation as a way to trigger an exodus. It is "indirect ethnic cleansing", said Giragosian, of the Regional Studies Center. "Not by bayonet, but rather by creating unbearable conditions." Suleymanov, the Azerbaijani ambassador, said Baku instead wanted to achieve full integration of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. "They are our citizens", he said, adding that he believed they would be passport-holders soon.
However, the self-proclaimed government of Nagorno-Karabakh, made up of ethnic Armenians and calling the region the "Republic of Arzakh" since 2017, has so far refused integration into Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani President Aliyev doesn't seem interested in this solution, either. He has repeatedly called for the government and parliament of the "Republic of Arzakh" to be dissolved and for Armenians there to be integrated into Azerbaijan as "normal, loyal citizens." This was a condition upon which Aliyev recently offered to supply the trapped Armenians with aid — something they promptly rejected as a "poisoned" offer.
Negotiations in this region are at an impasse, with the Armenian enclave requesting humanitarian assistance and Azerbaijan demanding integration of the Armenians into Azerbaijan.
... Russia is not opposed to allowing Azerbaijan use a hybrid warfare strategy such as this one, which is blockading the only corridor that's a lifeline to, quite basically, eventually pressure Armenia into an actual peace deal, into concessions ...
By utilizing pseudo eco-protesters instead of military movements by Azerbaijani forces, as was the previous strategy, and causing a humanitarian crisis accompanied with false narratives and disinformation, Azerbaijan is employing hybrid warfare tactics against the Armenians. This operation is pursuing short-, mid- and long-term objectives.
:94
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Bulut
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Luis Moreno Ocampo, the founding Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, argues that "there is a reasonable basis to believe that a genocide is being committed against Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023," adding that it "should be considered a genocide under Article II (c) of the [UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide] (Genocide Convention): 'Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction.'" Ocampo further added that "There are no crematories, and there are no machete attacks. Starvation is the invisible genocide weapon. Without immediate dramatic change, this group of Armenians will be destroyed in a few weeks."
Genocide Warning: Nagorno Karabakh
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).The Azerbaijani government erected this illegal checkpoint on April 23, 2023 to formalize the illegal blockade of Armenians in Artsakh...
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