The situation in Artsakh has long since crossed the border of the understanding of a “humanitarian disaster,” and today we are witnessing the genocidal policy of Azerbaijan. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan said this in an interview with Artsakh Public TV.

"If we were to word [it], Artsakh is a big concentration camp where Azerbaijan is carrying out genocide. It is no coincidence that a few days ago I petitioned to the former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, requesting an expert opinion. Now we already have a preliminary conclusion that this is genocide," said the leader of Artsakh.

Reflecting on the current difficult situation in Artsakh, its president first emphasized the serious lack of medicines in the healthcare system, detailing that there is already a shortage of life-saving medicines in pharmacies and soon there will be none at all.

"The increase in complications and deaths of various chronic diseases continues. For example, the number of deaths from diseases of the blood circulation system increased almost twice in the first half of the year. Especially vulnerable are pregnant women, children, people with chronic diseases, whose health condition worsens due to malnutrition, stress, and other reasons," said the leader of Artsakh.

Speaking about the issue of food and other goods, Harutyunyan reminded that a few days ago, Artsakh declared a disaster zone, expecting that the international community would provide humanitarian support, as it does for everyone in the event of a disaster. Armenia was the first to respond to that announcement, and the convoy of trucks with humanitarian cargo has been standing near the Hakari bridge for days, while Azerbaijan prohibits the entering of these goods, essential food items to Artsakh.

According to Artsakh President Harutyunyan, compensation should be provided to tens of thousands of people who have been deprived of their source of income. In addition, it will take decades to restore Artsakh’s economy destroyed by the ongoing blockade by Azerbaijan.

"That is, we are really witnessing genocide, and we are planning steps in that regard," the Artsakh president generalized.