On 12 December 2022, Azerbaijan imposed a blockade on all transportation routes connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. This blockade has resulted in the cessation of both private and commercial transportation of goods and medicines, leading to the confinement of 120,000 Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. As a consequence, stores and pharmacies have depleted their supplies, necessitating food rationing through a coupon system. Surgical procedures have been suspended, and only the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), accompanied by Russian Peacekeepers, has been facilitating the transportation of critically ill individuals to Armenia on a sporadic basis. Additionally, Azerbaijan has periodically blocked the supply of electricity and gas, resulting in prolonged disruptions in home heating during winter months, communication and internet access.
To worsen the crisis, on 15 June 2023, Azerbaijan halted the transportation of all humanitarian aid1 destined for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Consequently, the 120,000 Armenians residing in Nagorno-Karabakh, which includes 30,000 children, are now deprived of essential necessities such as food, medicines, gas, electricity and internet access. They find themselves living in an open prison, surrounded by Azerbaijani soldiers who frequently engage in gunfire and military attacks against Armenian farmers and residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, inflicting terror and loss of life. On June 27, 2023, the day the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers arrived in Washington, DC for peace talks with mediation from the U.S. Secretary of State, Azerbaijan launched preemptive drone and artillery attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh killing four servicemen.
This report provides testimonial evidence depicting the dire conditions endured by those living under the blockade. To protect their privacy, we will identify these individuals with the following pseudonyms: 23LC-0009, 23LC-0006, 23LC-NK0007, 23LC-NK0002, 23LC-NK0030, and 23LC-NK0028.
