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Rena Murshud

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The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has responded to a decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on temporary measures related to the Lachin road, Azernews reports.

The ECHR has decided to indicate an interim measure in the case Armenia v. Azerbaijan (No. 4) in relation to the Lachin road on December 21, according to the commentary of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on the ECHR decision on interim measures.

It is reported that all vehicles move along the Lachin road without any obstacles.

"The ECHR’s decision also notes that ‘the extent to which the Government of Azerbaijan is in control of the situation in the Lachin road is disputed and unclear,’ as the Russian peacekeeping contingent is continuing to perform its duties to regulate movement along the road, allowing humanitarian and medical support to pass through.

On multiple occasions, video evidence published in different media outlets showed that the International Committee of the Red Cross and Armenian ambulances pass freely and safely through the Lachin road. Thus, the safe passage of seriously ill persons in need of medical treatment in Armenia, which has been indicated in the interim measure, has been ensured," said the commentary.

Azerbaijan's anxiety over the use of the Lachin road for the transportation of anti-personnel mines was once more brought up.

"Along with guaranteeing freedom of movement for all those in the territories of Azerbaijan, the government also guarantees the rights of peaceful activists that have gathered in the Lachin road to protest Armenia’s illegal exploitation of Azerbaijan’s natural resources, which it has used the Lachin road to export to Armenia.

Azerbaijan has also expressed grave concerns over Armenia’s use of the Lachin road to transport landmines manufactured in Armenia in 2021 to Azerbaijan, some of which have deliberately targeted civilian homes in Lachin to prevent internally displaced families and communities from returning to their houses. Indiscriminate and deliberate planting of landmines by Armenians also led to an increase in the number of landmine victims in Azerbaijan. As a result, since the end of the Patriotic War of 2020, 276 Azerbaijanis have become landmine victims, with 46 killed including 3 journalists. Out of the 46 killed, 35 persons are civilians," the statement said.

The ministry assured that Azerbaijan does not intend to stop complying with its international legal obligations.

"Evidence of these gross human rights and international law violations has been shared with various international institutions, including the International Court of Justice, Council of Europe, and the UN Secretary-General.

"Azerbaijan will continue to comply with its international legal obligations, and urges Armenia to cease its indiscriminate actions and provocations against Azerbaijan and its population," the statement concluded.

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