14:56, 7 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a judgement on Armenia’s application concerning the Azerbaijani checkpoint on Lachin Corridor, the Office of the Representative of Armenia for International Legal Matters said in a statement.
Regarding Armenia’s request to amend its February 22 ruling in relation to the Azerbaijani checkpoint in Lachin Corridor, the ICJ issued a decision on July 6 reaffirming its February 22 ruling, ordering Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions, and found that at this moment there is no need to amend the February 22 ruling.
Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations and the Red Cross has been facilitating the medical evacuations of patients.
