ECHR Rejects Azerbaijan's Request for Interim Measures Against Armenia

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) sent an urgent notification to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe today regarding the supervision of Azerbaijan's compliance with its decision on unblocking the Lachin corridor, dated December 21, 2022. This information was provided by the Office of the Representative of Armenia on International Legal Issues.

On December 21, the ECHR granted Armenia's request and obligated Azerbaijan to ensure the movement of seriously ill patients needing medical assistance through the corridor, as well as to secure safe passage for persons left homeless or in need of means of subsistence along the way.

On December 22, 2022, Azerbaijan appealed to the European Court, requesting the annulment of the interim measures decision and calling for interim measures against Armenia. Specifically, they demanded to "take all measures within its powers aimed at the adequate treatment of people in need of urgent medical assistance within the Azerbaijani territory where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, and to avoid creating any obstacles in this regard."

In response to Azerbaijan's application, the Office of the Representative on International Legal Issues submitted regularly updated information to the ECHR in December 2022 and January 2023 about the dire humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian side requested the European Court to send an immediate notification to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe concerning Azerbaijan's non-compliance with the ECHR's decision from December 21, 2022.

“Taking into account the arguments presented by both parties, the European Court has today fully rejected Azerbaijan's requests, leaving the decision of December 21, 2022, in force,” the statement from the Armenian representative's office indicated. The ECHR also rejected Azerbaijan's request for interim measures against Armenia.