Scenes from a protest organized by thousands of Artsakh residents demanding an end to the Lachin Corridor blockade

In welcoming this week’s ruling by the International Court of Justice, which compelled Azerbaijan to take immediate steps to ensure the opening of the Lachin Corridor, the Artsakh foreign ministry also called on the international community to acknowledge Artsakh’s independence.

“We are convinced that in their approaches to resolving the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, the international community, as an effective remedy, should acknowledge the legitimacy of the Artsakh people’s choice for independence. Any discussion of the possibility of recognizing Azerbaijani jurisdiction and control over Artsakh and its people is tantamount to encouraging Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.

“We welcome the order by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) dated 22 February on the indication of a provisional measure to Azerbaijan, obliging the latter to ‘take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.’ This court order is a logical continuation of previous provisional measures indicated by the ICJ on 7 December 2021, and obliging Azerbaijan to “prevent the incitement and promotion of racial hatred and discrimination, including by its officials and public institutions, targeted at persons of Armenian national or ethnic origin,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said.
“We deem it important that when considering the case, the ICJ noted that the blockade may constitute a violation by Azerbaijan of the rights of the people of Artsakh protected under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The ICJ order allows to define the ongoing blockade of Artsakh as a manifestation of discriminatory actions deliberately carried out by the Azerbaijani authorities,” explained the foreign ministry.

“Of particular importance is also the Court’s conclusion that the ongoing blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan entails a real and imminent risk that irreparable harm will be caused to the rights of the people of Artsakh. Thus, while indicating a provisional measure to Azerbaijan, the International Court of Justice used the tools available within their competence to protect the people of Artsakh from racial discrimination by Azerbaijan,” emphasized the statement.

“The Court’s decision is an objective confirmation of the repeatedly voiced position of Artsakh that the blockade is just another episode of Azerbaijan’s decades-long discriminatory policies aimed at expelling the people of Artsakh from their historical homeland,” the statement added.

“Azerbaijan’s criminal policy, carried out against the people of Artsakh and bearing a large-scale and systematic character, is defined by international law as a crime against humanity. The international community in general and the UN member states in particular have legal and political obligations to take effective steps to prevent such massive human rights violations, as well as restore the violated rights,” said the Artsakh foreign ministry.

“In this context, we call on the international community to take effective measures to ensure the immediate and unconditional implementation by Azerbaijan of the order of the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. At the same time, we deem it necessary to systematically and thoroughly consider at the international level the issue of the legal protection of the people of Artsakh from the Azerbaijani policy of massive violations of their rights,” added the statement.

Artsakh’s Foreign Minister Sergey Ghazaryan echoed the announcement when speaking at a seminar on Friday.

He said the legal, political and historical grounds for an international recognition are more than sufficient.

“Artsakh’s path of self-determination and independence is fully in line with international law and the legal norms of the USSR. 32 years ago, declaring independence was the only way to ensure the existence of the people of Artsakh. And on December 10, in 1991, the people of Artsakh exercised their right to self-determination. Afterwards, Azerbaijan resorted to attempting to solve the conflict by force for three times, trying to forcefully suppress the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, in violation of requirements of international law and the UN charter,” Ghazaryan said.

“Even in times of relative peace Azerbaijan consistently engaged in a policy of aggravating ethnic hatred and discrimination,” he added.
“At the same time, for 30 years Baku continuously sabotaged all attempts by international mediators aimed at settling the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict based on international norms, namely of the OSCE Minks Group Co-chairing countries, every time abandoning in the last moment the agreements on compromise solution which were achieved earlier,” Ghazaryan said.

The current blockade of the Lachin corridor, which began over 70 days ago, is another example of Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing, he added.

Commenting on the ICJ order, Ghazaryan said the ruling also confirms that Azerbaijan is engaged in discriminatory policy and recorded that it is inciting racial hate against Armenians.

“The court’s conclusions allow to describe Azerbaijan’s policy, including the blockade of Artsakh, as a manifestation of deliberate discriminatory actions by the Azerbaijani authorities. The recognition of the independence of Artsakh by the international community is a means to stop the mass and regular violations of the rights of the people of Artsakh,” the Artsakh foreign minister said.