Nagorno-Karabakh: Mijatovic (Council of Europe), “concerned about the humanitarian situation. Reinstate movement in the Lachin corridor”

Urgently reinstating movement along the Lachin corridor and preventing the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh deteriorating: this is asked for today by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatović. In a notice, she says she has been “closely” following the situation in the region, which has been isolated since 12th December when such road was blocked. “I am concerned that the prolonged disruption in the movement of people, preventing some from reaching their homes, and in access to essential goods and services, including food supplies and urgent medical care, threatens the enjoyment of human rights by the population of Nagorno-Karabakh”, the Commissioner said. Mijatović asks that “all relevant stakeholders should avoid escalation of tensions” and “the relevant authorities should come up with effective and flexible modalities of access enabling all relevant actors, including my Office, to reach out to those in need of humanitarian assistance and human rights protection as a matter of priority”. And she states: “I stand ready to engage with all the relevant interlocutors to assist in overcoming the existing challenges”. A few days ago, even Pope Francis had made himself heard; in a letter, the Conference of European Churches (KEK) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) had asked the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, to take measures to help the population of Armenian descent that has been cut off all road links.
Valentina Bombelli