Opposition lawmaker Hayk Mamijanyan told a PACE discussion on the closure of the Lachin corridor on Thursday, January 26 that the only reason Azerbaijan is keeping Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) under blockade is to prepare the ground for ethnic cleansing.

Mamijanyan made the remarks in response to speeches from Azerbaijani delegates who denied the blockade.

“Do you think they are going to transport weapons through gas pipelines or internet cables?” the MP asked.

“No, the only reason Azerbaijan has resorted to this blockade is to prepare the ground for ethnic cleansing.”

“You all see the situation. The world, all international organizations and a number of states declare that there is a blockade, there is a humanitarian disaster, and a few people in this hall are trying to declare that there is no such thing.”

Since December 12, the sole road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia - the Lachin Corridor - has been blocked by self-described Azerbaijani environmentalists. Karabakh residents have reported food and fuel shortages, while hospital patients don't have access to essential medicines, with only a handful allowed transfer to facilities in Armenia proper.