The ICJ, also known as the World Court, delivered its judgment on 22 February 2023 on the blockade of the Lachin (Berdzor) corridor, issuing a provisional measure which ordered Azerbaijan to “take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles, and cargo in both directions” through the vital Lachin corridor.

The judgment is in response to Armenia’s request of 28 December 2022 calling for provisional measures ordering Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor.

Other points to note from the ICJ’s judgment

• The ICJ unanimously rejected Azerbaijan’s request to apply measures against Armenia under the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
• Azerbaijan has not only not taken any steps to implement the ICJ’s ruling but has in fact used its Armed forces to open fire and kill three Artsakh police officers, injuring one, in a diversion attempt on 5 March. On 26 March, Azerbaijan shot at peaceful civilians in the villages of Sos and Tagavard while the latter was carrying out agricultural work. As noted by the Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan, Azerbaijan’s ignorance of the ICJ’s decision is “an irreversible and discrediting blow to the international human rights architecture that has been consistently developed over the years, as well as to the legal mechanisms designed to guarantee it”.
• The Artsakh Human Rights Defender further rightly pointed out that “Azerbaijan’s destructive behaviour is a repeatedly proven fact, to which the international community must respond with clear and practical countermeasures, applying sanctions against Azerbaijan and making the recognition of Artsakh people’s right to self-determination as the main element of the future conflict settlement processes at the highest international level”.

• On 15 March, the Plenary of the European Parliament (EP) adopted reports on EU-Armenia and EU-Azerbaijan relations.
• The reports focus on key points regarding the relations of the EU with Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as address the conflict in Artsakh and the role of the EU in promoting regional stability and peace.
• In both reports, the EP condemns the military incursions by Azerbaijan into Armenia. The EP also stresses Azerbaijan’s obligations under the ICJ order to open the Lachin corridor. In this context, the EP calls on the EU Council to impose sanctions against Azerbaijani government officials if the order is not immediately implemented.
• You can read more about the reports here.

The Armenian National Committee of the United Kingdom (ANC-UK) is the largest and most influential British-Armenian political grassroots organisation.

Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Britain and affiliated organisations around the world, ANC-UK actively advances the concerns of the British-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.

The work achieved by ANC-UK is currently on a volunteer basis. However, we are hopeful that in the coming years through the financial support of our community, the ANC-UK chapter will have the necessary funds to open a full-time office employing an Executive Director and a part-time Administrative Assistant.

Setting up an ANC-UK office will allow for our organisation’s goals to be achieved as they have been throughout the diaspora in the United States of America, Canada, Australia and Europe.

As a grassroots organisation, we rely upon you, our community and friends for financial assistance to advance our cause. Your donations support our goal of having a full-time office, to advocate on issues important to all British-Armenians and the Armenian cause.

Thank you for your consideration of our request for your support.