Armenia Appeals to International Court of Justice to Oblige Azerbaijan to Unblock Lachin Corridor

YEREVAN — The Republic of Armenia filed in the Registry of the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, a Request for the indication of provisional measures in the case concerning Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan), referring to Article 41 of the Statute of the Court and Article 73 of the Rules of Court.

In its Request, Armenia states that “on 12 December 2022, Azerbaijan orchestrated a blockade of the only road connecting the 120,000 ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh with the outside world, thereby preventing anyone and anything from entering or exiting.”

It further claims that “the blockade is ongoing as of the date of its Request, and there are no signs that it will be lifted any time soon”.

Armenia requests the Court to indicate the following provisional measures: “Azerbaijan shall cease its orchestration and support of the alleged ‘protests’ blocking uninterrupted free movement along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan shall ensure uninterrupted free movement of all persons, vehicles, and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.”

Pursuant to Article 74 of the Rules of Court, “a request for the indication of provisional measures shall have priority over all other cases”.

Earlier, the European Court of Human Rights partially satisfied the request of the Armenian government of December 14 to apply interim measures against Azerbaijan.

Thus, the ECtHR ruled “to oblige Azerbaijan to take all measures to ensure the movement of seriously ill people in need of medical care in Armenia through the Lachin corridor, as well as the safe movement of people who are homeless on the way or in need of subsistence.’ However, the court ruling indicates that Azerbaijani control of the Lachin corridor is currently disputed.