The Board of the Chamber of Advocates of the Republic of Armenia, with the participation of the Head of the Board Simon Babayan, Board members: Emin Beglaryan, Pavel Gyulumyan, Gayane Demirchyan, Mane Karapetyan, Ruben Hakobyan, Arsen Harutyunyan, Lilit Ghazanchyan, Karen Mezhlumyan, Karen Sardaryan, Harutyun Harutyunyan and Marine Farmanyan has made the with the following statement:

    Early in the morning of December 12, 2022, a group of Azerbaijanis blocked the only road connecting the Republic of Artsakh with the outside world, the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor, blocking the movement of people, vehicles and cargo to Artsakh and back .

    This road is a life path for the people of Artsakh, which has actually been completely blocked for a week. 

    In addition, the Azerbaijani authorities cut off the gas supply to Artsakh and deprived the 120,000 people of Artsakh, among other things, of heating during this winter.

    It is obvious that the people blocking the road are directed directly by the Azerbaijani authorities, which is evidenced by their actions and their interdependence.

    Such provocative actions of the Azerbaijani authorities put the people of Artsakh in front of a humanitarian and food disaster. This is another manifestation of hatred against Armenians propagated at the state level in Azerbaijan.

    At the same time, such practice is another evidence of the continuation of the policy of the Azerbaijani authorities to subject the Artsakh population to ethnic cleansing.

    In fact, the authorities of Azerbaijan deliberately create such living conditions for Armenians living in Artsakh, which are aimed at their complete or partial physical destruction, such an act, according to Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948), is considered genocide.

    The Chamber of Advocates of the Republic of Armenia strongly condemns the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities against the people of Artsakh and calls on international organizations and actors to:

1. To immediately take effective measures to force the authorities of Azerbaijan to stop the inhumane actions,
2. To recognize the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh as the only guarantee of ensuring the rights and security of the people of Artsakh, which has no alternative in such conditions.

    The Chamber of Advocates of the Republic of Armenia will raise the mentioned issues and questions on its partnership platforms, including the Council of Advocates and Lawyers Unions of Europe (CCBE) and the International Association of Lawyers (UIA).