21:42, 28 July 2023

BRUSSELS, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. A silent protest was held today in the heart of Brussels, in front of the European Council building, where demonstrators urged President of the European Council Charles Michel and the international community to pressure Azerbaijan to end the illegal blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) which has resulted in a humanitarian disaster.

The silent protest was organized by the Armenian community of Belgium as part of the Europeans for Artsakh pan-European movement initiated by the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD). The EAFJD brought together Armenian community leaders from various European countries for a meeting, who then launched the movement.

Protesters walked with children to the European Council and handed over a letter addressed to Charles Michel, the President of the European Council.

In the letter, the representatives of the Armenian community of Belgium appealed to the EU leadership to take immediate action by imposing sanctions on Azerbaijan and intervene to apply pressure on Azerbaijan to end the illegal blockade.

Protesters were holding posters saying “30,000 children in Nagorno-Karabakh have no access to food and medication,” “228 days of illegal blockade and 43 days of total siege,” “Indifference of international community is killing our children,” “120,000 Armenians held hostage in Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan.”

Karen Tadevosyan, the president of Belgium’s Armenian Community Assembly who coordinated the silent protest, told ARMENPRESS Brussels correspondent Lilit Gasparyan that the movement’s goal is to unite the potential of the Diaspora and provide unconditional support to the Republic of Artsakh and its people to protect their right to self-determination. The representatives of the initiative and the demonstrators are convinced that collective efforts and concrete support by the EU can play a decisive role in ending the blockade and alleviating the suffering of those affected.