The European Court of Human Rights Rules Against Azerbaijan for Karabakh Road Closure

STRASBOURG — The European Court of Human Rights has granted Armenia’s request and indicated interim measures to Azerbaijan, the Office of Armenia’s Representative on International Legal Issues informs.

The Court obliged the Government of Azerbaijan, under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, to take all measures that are within their jurisdiction to ensure safe passage through the Lachin Corridor of seriously ill persons in need of medical treatment in Armenia and others who were stranded on the road without shelter or means of subsistence.

On Wednesday, Armenia informed the Court about the blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor by Azerbaijan and the violation of the rights of the Artsakh people.

In their request for interim measures, initially submitted on 14 December 2022, the Armenian Government alleged that since 12 December fake Azerbaijani “environmental activists” had blocked all traffic on the motorway in the Lachin district, thereby preventing seriously ill Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh from travelling to Armenia for much-needed hospital care, stranding other people on the road in freezing winter conditions and cutting off supplies of food and other necessities.

Azerbaijan had also cut off gas supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing schools to close. The gas supply was restored on 19 December 2022.

At the same time, Armenia requested ECtHR to indicate interim measures against Azerbaijan and obligate Azerbaijan to unblock the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor.

The European Court of Human Rights had given Azerbaijan time until 16:00 CET on Monday, December 19, to respond to Armenia’s request for interim measures. The court said it would make a final decision after the response.