Azerbaijan seeks to create unbearable humanitarian crises for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), Armenian Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan said in a statement on Tuesday, December 13.

“Azerbaijani “environmental activists” have blocked the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia and to the world. Even for a fresh researcher the videos depicting the behavior of so called “activists” as well as the way they talk and the things they demand from the Russian peacekeepers reveal the artificial nature of this “manifestation”,” Grigoryan said.

“As in case of disruption of the only gaz pipeline from Armenia to Artsakh earlier this year, the goal of this act happening now is the same - to create unbearable humanitarian crises forcing people to leave their homes and homeland. More than 120,000 elderly, women, children and men are trapped, their rights to life, to health care, to descent living, freedom of movement and other inalienable rights are endangered.”

The Ombudsperson said such policies, which are being incited and adduced by ethnic hatred (Armenophobia), are directly authorized by the Azerbaijani authorities in contradiction with international human rights and the obligations that Azerbaijan has committed to in the tri-lateral statement.

“Facts about the situation have been shared with relevant international organizations and actors calling them to unequivocally condemn this act of genocidal policy and raise pressure on Azerbaijan to stop these continuous and flagrant human rights violations.”

The interstate road connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) remained blocked as of Tuesday morning, Karabakh’s Interior Ministry said in a statement.