Tuesday, January 31 2023 22:21

ArmInfo. Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan gave an interview to the French news outlet "Ouest France," in which he referred to the blockade of the  Lachin corridor by the Azerbaijani fake eco-activists from December  12 and the humanitarian crisis in the country and the ongoing  violations of the fundamental rights of the population.

The Ombudsman emphasized the need for the international community to take practical  steps, in particular the presence of relevant international missions  to get to know the situation on the ground and to take measures to  guarantee the right to live safely of the people of Artsakh.

In particular, referring to the humanitarian situation after the  50-day blockade, Stepanyan stated that it is getting worse day by  day, there is not enough medicine, food.

"Sugar and rice are provided on  coupons. Shops are closed because  there is nothing to buy. The goods coming through the Red Cross are  very limited. If the road remains blocked, it will lead to  malnutrition and hunger. The lives of 120,000 people are at risk.   People do not have enough heating and hot water. Schools and  kindergartens are closed, leaving 30,000 children deprived of  education. Hospitals can no longer perform surgeries. Azerbaijan has  cut off gas four times since the blockade began. On January 9 a power  line from Armenia was damaged and Azerbaijan prevents our specialists  from going to the scene to repair it," he said.

At the same time, the NKR HRD stressed that the blockade has nothing  to do with the environment. He reported on the identification of 300  participants in this so-called environmental event. According to him,  among them are employees of special services, state-funded  organizations, students who are exempted from exams for participating  in the action: Stepanyan noted that these facts indicate that this is  a criminal action organized by the government of Azerbaijan.

To clarify what Azerbaijan's goal is, the ombudsman said that the  goal is to force the Armenian population to leave Nagorno-Karabakh by  creating terrible living conditions in order to force them to do  so.... all the criminal acts that we observe testify to their  genocidal intentions.  When asked what Stepanakert expects from the  international community, Stepanyan said:  immediate actions.

"It is obliged to protect the rights of peoples whose lives are in  danger, and I confirm that the lives of my people are really in  danger. We are threatened with deportation, murder. Therefore, it  must recognize our right to self-determination, the independence of  Nagorno-Karabakh and take responsibility for protecting people ",  said the Ombudsman.

According to him, this can be done by sending missions to see what is  happening on the ground and taking measures to guarantee the people's  right to security.

"Human rights should be a priority, but they are subordinated to the  political and economic interests of the states. The European Union  concluded a gas agreement with Azerbaijan, which invaded  Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020! In the case of Ukraine, the international  community imposed sanctions on Russia, why not do the same on  Azerbaijan?" Stepanyan summed up.