Artsakh residents held a protest in Stepanakert’s Renaissance Square demanding the immediate opening of Lachin Corridor, which has been blockaded since December 12 by a group of Azerbaijanis claiming to be environmental activists.

The protesters later marched to the Russian peacekeeping checkpoint on the Stepanakert-Shushi road demanding that troops immediately disperse the so-called protesters and open the road, the closure of which has created a severe humanitarian crisis in Artsakh.

“Why them? [the peacekeepers] Because we have the trilateral statement signed on November 9, where clear obligations are put on the parties, and today it is evident that the two sides aren’t implementing or are unable to implement their obligations,” Tigran Petrosyan, the chairman of the “Tomorrow’s Artsakh” party and an organizer of the protest told Armenpress on Saturday.

“Azerbaijan is violating clause 6 of the statement, while Russia has the obligation to guarantee the security of the Lachin Corridor, which it is not or is unable to do,” Petrosyan added.

Petrosyan led a group to the Russian peacekeeping checkpoint on Friday but was turned away, when the peacekeepers said that their actions might hinder the ongoing negotiations with Azerbaijan to unblock the road.

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan on Saturday told the heads of government agencies and business leaders that since December 3 Azerbaijan is using the environmental pretext to make demands which are unacceptable for Artsakh. The president called for civic and political unity to confront the challenges posed by the blockade.

The Artsakh authorities announced a national rally in Stepanakert on Sunday. The event will kick off at 2 p.m. local time in Stepanakert’s Renaissance Square.

Artsakh’s Prosecutor General issued a statement on Saturday debunking statements made by Azerbaijani officials who falsely claim that Lachin Corridor is not closed to traffic, as well as that the Azerbaijani authorities have no role in the so-called environmental protests that have blocked the corridor for almost two weeks.

The prosecutor’s office said that that according to clause 1 of the November 9, 2020 trilateral statement the parties had assumed the obligation of not violating a certain line of contact, which Azerbaijan has not implemented.

“The individuals describing themselves as environmentalists reached the part of the road linking Artsakh with Armenia which they blocked accompanied by Azerbaijani state bodies, because after the 44-Day War of 2020 the free movement in the territories that have gone under Azerbaijani control has been banned,” explained the statement.

“Former and current intelligence or military operatives are among the Azerbaijani nationals who are located in the blocked section of the road connecting Artsakh with Armenia. Furthermore, members of state-funded NGOs are involved,” added the statement.

“In response to Armenia’s interstate application to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Azerbaijan officially announced that the road is closed by Russian peacekeepers, whereas published videos prove otherwise. In written explanations to the ECHR, Azerbaijan denied that its government is participating or organizing the process ‘of the environmentalists being located in the Lachin Corridor.’ Hence, the Azerbaijani side’s statements and claims on the road being safe and guaranteed for traffic are confusing,” said the statement.

“Individuals have publicly voiced and displayed anti-Armenian slogans or actions, proudly posted statements advocating hate on social media or photos showing them posing with the convicted murderer of an Armenian person. They have explicitly participated in the blockade of the road connecting Artsakh with Armenia,” the prosecutor’s office said.

“Under these conditions, statements about the road being “open and safe” are deceptive and are attempts to mislead the international community,” the prosecutor said.