ECHR rejected Armenia's appeal to "unblock" Lachin road

Baku/22.12.22/Turan: The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has announced its decision due to Armenia's appeal on the situation on the Lachin road.

According to the decision of the Strasbourg Court, Azerbaijan must allow seriously ill and homeless people to pass through the Lachin corridor from Karabakh to Armenia.

Armenia demanded to unblock the road; however, Azerbaijan replied that the Lachin corridor is under the control of Russian peacekeepers.

"When adjusted for the fact that at the moment, the issue of Azerbaijan's control over the Lachin corridor is controversial, and also taking into account Azerbaijan's obligations under paragraph 6 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, in particular, "to guarantee the safety of persons moving along the Lachin corridor in both directions; the safety of vehicles and cargo" and recalling the obligations taken under the European Convention, the European Court decided, on the basis of provision #39 of the Court regulations, to oblige Azerbaijan take all necessary and sufficient measures to ensure the movement of seriously ill people in need of medical care in Armenia through the Lachin corridor, as well as ensure the safe movement of persons left homeless on the road or those in need of livelihood," the ECHR said in a press release.

Head of the ECHR decision monitoring group, lawyer Khalid Agaliyev, commenting on the Court's decisions, pointed out that it indicates the controversy of the claim that Azerbaijan controls the corridor and refers to the control of the highway by peacekeepers.

"The Court announces its decision with due regard for circumstances it is aware of. In the information provided to the Court, the applicant claimed that Azerbaijan had blocked the corridor since December 14. Azerbaijan denied this as stating that the corridor is under the control of Russia, not Azerbaijan. 

All things considered, the meaning of the Court's decision is that, within its competence and capabilities, Azerbaijan should create an opportunity for groups in need to freely use the corridor," the expert said.

At the same time, he emphasized that Azerbaijan does not see any problem in this aspect. "Eco-activists and representatives of civil society, who held a rally around the corridor, did not interfere with the movement of ambulances traveling from Karabakh to Armenia, as well as the movement of supply vehicles with humanitarian supplies. The Azerbaijani government has also expressed its readiness to meet the humanitarian needs of people in the area," he said. -06B-