Azerbaijan Blocks Humanitarian Transportation to Artsakh, Escalating Humanitarian Crisis

For the second consecutive day, Azerbaijan has imposed a complete blockade on all humanitarian transportation to Artsakh, as confirmed by Artsakh Human Rights Defender (HRD) Gegham Stepanyan through a post on his Facebook page. The blockade, previously facilitated by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Russian peacekeeping contingent, has been halted, further exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis in the region.

The ban on humanitarian cargo transportation intensifies the already dire humanitarian situation in Artsakh, resulting from a six-month-long blockade. The limited access to food and essential supplies poses existential threats to the region's 120,000 inhabitants, including 30,000 children, 20,000 elderly, and 9,000 people with disabilities.

The complete blockade has had severe implications for medical services in Artsakh. Pre-planned transportation of 102 patients and their accompanying persons between Artsakh and Armenia could not be carried out due to the blockade. Furthermore, the supply of necessary medicines has been completely stopped, causing significant challenges for citizens and medical institutions in the region.

The situation indicates a deliberate disruption of the normal operation of vital infrastructure by Azerbaijan, using humanitarian issues as a tool to exert pressure, intimidate, and make various demands on the people of Artsakh. This approach raises concerns over the misuse of humanitarian concerns to further political agendas and create hardships for the population.

Azerbaijan's actions have also raised alarm about potential violations of human rights, as the blockade and restrictions on humanitarian transportation have put vulnerable populations at great risk.

The blockade and ban on humanitarian transportation underscore the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to address the complex issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Humanitarian considerations must be treated with utmost respect and not used as a means to pursue policies of ethnic hatred and ethnic cleansing against the people of Artsakh.