ARMENIAN DELEGATION
TO THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
Open Letter to the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Yerevan, 21 May 2023
Madam President,
As you and other members of the OSCE PA are going to be present at the event under the
title “The role of national parliaments in promoting security and stability through green economy,
connectivity and sustainable development” on 22-23 May 2023 in Azerbaijan, the Armenian
delegation to the OSCE PA encourages you to use this opportunity and address the current
humanitarian situation in the region.
In particular, Baku, the city where you are going to take floor, is a place where at least 33
Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees are still unlawfully detained under inhumane
conditions. We encourage you to raise this issue during your visit and to request the Azerbaijani
government to provide access for you and other members to visit the Armenian PoWs and to
monitor their health and detention conditions.
Moreover, the agenda of the event provides that you are going to visit Zangilan district for
a field trip. I want to bring to your attention that it is very close to Nagorno-Karabakh and the
Lachin corridor which has been unlawfully blocked for more than five months. As you and other
members know this blockade put 120,000 Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh under a
complete siege causing a dire humanitarian crisis. Since December 12, 2022, people receive food,
medication and fuel by daily portions, for several weeks gas supply to Nagorno-Karabakh has been
cut. On April 23, 2023, Azerbaijan officially closed the Lachin corridor by illegal installation of a
checkpoint and grossly violating its own commitments.
Therefore, as you are going to visit a region so close to Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin
corridor, we encourage you to speak up about the crisis and in your capacity to take an initiative
and visit Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor to witness the situation. The latter can help
the organization to take further action in its efforts to bring peace and security to the South
Caucasus region.
Respectfully,
Sargis Khandanyan
Head of Delegation