Giorgi Gogia, Associate Director, Europe and Central Asia Division for Human Rights Watch published an article referring to the closure of Lachin corridor.
Authorities should restore free movement of people and essential goods. Hardships have accumulated for residents of Nagorno-Karabakh since the Lachin corridor, the lifeline road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia to the outside world, was closed to regular traffic on December 12, 2022, Gogia noted.
“The Lachin corridor’s closure has disrupted access to essential goods and services for thousands of ethnic Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh and prevented them from leaving the region and returning home. On one occasion, several dozen students were stranded in Armenia for nearly two months after a school trip there”, Gogia said.
“While Russian peacekeeping and International Committee of the Red Cross trucks can travel the road to deliver essential goods and transport critically ill patients to Armenia, disruption of the Lachin corridor is causing a humanitarian crisis as many needs remain unmet. Azerbaijani authorities and the Russian peacekeeping force should ensure the protests do not deny Armine and other Nagorno-Karabakh residents their rights, including the right of access to health, essential services and goods, and to freedom of movement”, Gogia concluded.
