A written declaration signed by 40 PACE Parliamentarians urges Azerbaijan to immediately end the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and to implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice.

On 23 April 2023, Azerbaijan unilaterally installed a checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor grossly violating the 9November 2020 Trilateral Statement.

The checkpoint is a “worrying escalation” since the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia has been blocked by Azerbaijan since December 2022 creating grave humanitarian and human rights consequences for 120 000 residents of Nagorno-Karabakh,” the declaration said.

“We urge Azerbaijan to implement the binding decision of the International Court of Justice, which ordered Azerbaijan to ensure unimpeded movement along the Lachin Corridor in both directions, and the interim measures indicated to Azerbaijan by the European Court of Human Rights,” the declaration went on to say.

“We demand Azerbaijan to immediately end the unlawful and illegitimate blockade of the Lachin corridor and urgently restore the movement of persons and goods.

“We urge Azerbaijan to co-operate in good faith and to authorize fact-finding visits to Nagorno-Karabakh, most recently requested by the rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly on “Addressing the humanitarian consequences of the blockade of the Lachin corridor.”

“We call on the Council of Europe to act decisively for the protection of the human rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.”