Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov argued Thursday that the International Court of Justice's ruling on his country's feud with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh proved that it did not see Azeri protesters blocking a vital road between Armenia and the disputed region as Baku's agents

BAKU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik – 23rd February, 2023) Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov argued Thursday that the International Court of Justice's ruling on his country's feud with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh proved that it did not see Azeri protesters blocking a vital road between Armenia and the disputed region as Baku's agents.

"Our side presented the court with evidence that these protests had been organized by environmental activists, including the activists' names, photos and videos," Mammadov told a briefing in Baku.

"In its decision, published on Wednesday, the court rejected Armenia's application and its suggestion that the Azerbaijani government organized the protests," the deputy foreign minister added.

The United Nations' main judicial body ruled Wednesday that Azerbaijan must ensure unimpeded movement along the Lachin Corridor, which has been blocked since December by people whom Azerbaijan describes as environmental activists protesting illegal mining operations in the area. Armenia argued in the court filing that they were acting on Baku's command and demanded that it "cease its orchestration and support" of the protests. The ICJ ruled that no action on that was warranted.