As reported in the Atrocity Alert No 366 and No 367 by the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Azerbaijani armed forces launched a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh on 19 September 2023, under the pretense of “anti-terror measures” regaining regional control of the territory. The 24-hour military escalation on 19 September led to a mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh in the last two weeks.
The military operation, preceded by a nine-month-long blockade of the Lachin corridor, ended on 20 September with a ceasefire.
On 1 October, at the invitation of Azerbaijan, the UN sent a mission to Nagorno-Karabakh, its first official visit into the area in approximately 30 years, to assess the situation and identify humanitarian needs.
As earlier stated in the Atrocity Alert No 358, issued in August, Azerbaijani environmental activists have instituted a blockade of the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.
The blocking is leading to a serious humanitarian crisis. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warns that the humanitarian situation in the area remains precarious. Food and essential medicines are scarce, and telecommunication services are disrupted.
The United Nations and other organizations involved in the situation, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), have issued statements and press releases informing of developments in the region that deserve urgent attention.
GAAMAC will continue to monitor the situation and encourage readers to stay connected to our community member’s websites and GAAMAC’s social channels for the latest updates.
You can access full documents in the links below:
International Court of Justice: Press release 2023/69, Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan) – The Court indicates provisional measures, 17 November 2023
UN Press Release: Statement by Ms. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, on the situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan, 10 October 2023
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect “Atrocity Alert no. 367”, 4 October 2023
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect “Atrocity Alert no. 366”, 27 September 2023
Comment by UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, 26 september 2023
UNHCR Press Release, 26 September 2023
International Committee of the Red Cross 23 September 2023 and 26 September 2023 press release
UN Press Release: Statement by Ms. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, on the situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan, 22 September 2023
International Committee of the Red Cross 22 September 2023 and 23 September 2023 press release
UN Meetings Coverage of the Security Council, 21 September 2023
International Committee of the Red Cross 18 September 2023 and 19 September 2023 press release
Risk Factors and Indicators of the Crime of Genocide in the Republic of Artsakh: Applying the UN Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes to the
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, Raphael Lemkin Institute, September 2023
PRELIMINARY OPINION on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and on the need for the international community to adopt measures to prevent atrocity crimes provided by Mr. Juan Ernesto-Mendez, former Special Adviser to the UN SG on the Prevention of Genocide (2004-2007), August 2023
UN Meetings Coverage of the Security Council, 16 August 2023
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect “Atrocity Alert no. 358”, August 2023
UN statement delivered by the spokesperson of the Secretary General on 2 August 2023
6 July 2023 International Court of Justice order reaffirming its order of 22 February 2023 and press release
International Committee of the Red Cross 25 July 2023 press release and 29 July 2023 press release
