The Republic of Artsakh’s (Nagorno-Karavakh) Ministry of Education, Science, Nature, and Sport has announced that educational institutions in Artsakh will suspend operations starting January 19 due to the gas and electricity supply disruptions.
Pre-schools, public schools with grades 1-12, and primary and secondary specialized institutions will temporarily suspend their operations.
As a result, 117 schools are closed, and 20,000 students are being deprived of their right to education.
The updated daily statistics of the 40th day of the blockade of Artsakh are also published in the Artsakh government bulletin:
• 9 children remain in the neonatal and intensive care units of the children's hospital;
• 9 adult patients remain in the intensive care unit, 4 of them in critical condition,
• 154 children were born during the blockade;
• 460 citizens continue to be deprived of the opportunity to receive necessary medical treatment due to suspensions of planned surgeries in all medical facilities of Artsakh;
• 36 patients were transported from Artsakh to Armenia with the mediation and escort of the ICRC to receive appropriate medical treatment;
• 726 businesses (17.7% of the total) suspended operations;
• At least 4,100 people have lost their jobs and sources of income due to the impact on the economy;
More than 15,600 tons of vital supplies, which would have been delivered during the period of the blockade, have not reached Artsakh. Only a meagre amount has since been delivered by the ICRC and the Russian peacekeeping forces.
Key facts:
• For 40 days, 120,000 people of Artsakh have been held hostage by terroristic blockade carried out by agents of the Azerbaijani government;
• Due to the blockade, 120,000 people of Artsakh, including 30,000 children, 20,000 elderly people and 9,000 persons with disabilities, face a dire humanitarian crisis and the risk of starvation;
• As of January 9, 41 kindergartens, 56 preschool groups and 20 long-day educational institutions have been completely or partially closed due to the growing food shortage caused by the blockade. 6,828 children are no longer able to attend kindergartens, pre-schools and long-day schools, being deprived of the opportunity to receive appropriate care, food and education;
• As of January 18, all 117 schools in Artsakh have been closed due to lack of heating and electricity, depriving almost 20,000 children of their right to education;
Since the beginning of the blockade, many countries and international organizations have condemned Azerbaijan's actions and called for the lifting of the blockade. This issue was also discussed in the UN Security Council while the European Court of Human Rights ordered Azerbaijan to take all necessary and sufficient measures to lift the blockade. The issue will soon be considered in the UN International Court of Justice (The Hague) as part of the proceedings of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
