MEDIA ADVISORY - HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TO PROTEST AZERBAIJAN'S ILLEGAL BLOCKADE OF ARTSAKH (NAGORNO-KARABAKH)

TORONTO, Dec. 21, 2022 /CNW/ - 

WHEN / WHERE: 

Thursday, December 22, 2022 - 12:30 PM

Demonstration at Nathan Phillips Square (100 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON)

DETAILS: 

Human rights activists from across Ontaro will gather at Nathan Phillips Square to protest Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Demonstrators are expected to arrive around 12:15 PM, while the demonstration will begin at 12:30 PM. Demonstrators will also protest Azerbaijan's ongoing genocidal aggression against both the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh and their constant violations of the ceasefire regime in the South Caucasus.

BACKGROUNDER:

On the morning of December 12, a group of Azerbaijani citizens, disguised as concerned "environmentalists" blocked the Lachin corridor, the only route connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Armenia and the outside world. The road has remained closed to all traffic, cutting off Nagorno-Karabakh from all necessary supplies, effectively leaving over 120,000 people in a full blockade and on the verge of a major humanitarian catastrophe and genocide.

While the so-called demonstrators claim to be environmentalists, it is evident that they are backed by the central Baku regime.

For over a week, 120,000 innocent people, among them 30,000 children, 20,000 elderly and 9,000 people with disabilities are facing the imminent danger of starvation and death.

The genocidal policies of the Azerbaijani regime have been on full display over the last ten days, demonstrating the regime's real intentions toward the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, people, whom they claim are their own citizens. The Azerbaijani regime's constant terrorization of the indigenous Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh is evidently meant to sow fear and intimidation within the population and contribute to Baku's policy of ethnic cleansing.

Founded in 1934, the Armenian Youth Federation of Canada is the largest and most influential Canadian-Armenian youth organization in Canada, working to advance social, political, educational, and cultural awareness among Armenian- Canadian youth.

SOURCE Armenian Youth Federation of Canada