Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Azerbaijan on Thursday of carrying out a policy of ethnic cleansing by forcing Armenians to leave the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. 

He accused Baku of exerting "economic and psychological pressure to provoke an exodus of Armenians from Karabakh" and clearly stated before delegates during a cabinet meeting in Yerevan that "this is a policy of ethnic cleansing." 

The Nagorno-Karabakh has been subjected to a blockade due to a group of Azeri environmental activists who have been blocking the only route into Karabakh from Armenia since December 12. 

They have occupied the Lachin corridor which links Karabakh to Armenia, and claimed to do so in protest of illegal mining activities causing environmental damage. 

According to the Prime Minister, kindergartens, schools and universities have been closed in Karabakh due to the blockade, with thousands of students "being denied their fundamental right to education."

Shortly after these statements were issued, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev on Thursday rejected the accusations as "groundless, false, and absurd," adding that the Russian peacekeepers and the Red Cross ensured the supply of crucial goods to Karabakh, including food and medicine. 

"Thousands of civilian cars have entered and left Karabakh since December 12," he told a newly appointed French ambassador.

On December 27, the OHCHR called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the issue they have over the Lachin corridor by holding talks on the matter in a bid to enable safe and free movement at the nearest opportunity possible.

Lachin corridor [Armenia/Azerbaijan] : We call on the sides to resolve pending issues through a dialogue, urgently enable free & safe movement, protect human rights& avoid adverse humanitarian impact on civilians

— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) December 27, 2022

Last Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Aliyev to "to immediately restore commercial traffic on the Lachin corridor."

I urged President Aliyev to immediately restore commercial traffic on the Lachin corridor. Each day it remains blocked risks a humanitarian crisis and undermines the steps that Armenia and Azerbaijan have taken toward peace. The U.S. is committed to supporting these efforts.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 23, 2023

On the same day, the EU launched a civilian mission "to contribute to stability in the border areas of Armenia, building confidence on the ground, and ensuring an environment conducive to normalization efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan supported by the EU", a statement issued by the European Council said on Monday. 

The announcement was made despite Iran's opposition to the presence of outsiders in the region, which it voiced earlier this month. 

Read more: Macron to Aliyev: allow passage between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh