Today the world celebrates World Press Freedom Day which highlights the importance of an independent and protected press.
Parallel to the widespread violations of the rights of the people of Artsakh, Azerbaijan spares no effort to keep Artsakh in information isolation. We should clearly record that even before the blockade, the entry of foreign media representatives into Artsakh was hindered, very few managed to enter Artsakh, to get to know and cover the situation on the ground. Today, with the blockade of Artsakh and the set-up of an illegal checkpoint by Azerbaijan on the Goris-Stepanakert highway (Lachin corridor), access to Artsakh by Armenian and international media has been cut off, creating serious problems in terms of providing operative and objective information.
The World Press Freedom Day is an occasion to express gratitude to all those media and journalists who objectified the problems and ontological threats of the people of Artsakh both during the war and after it, sometimes risking their own lives and health.
We should also pay tribute to all the representatives of the Artsakh media who, in conditions of limited opportunities, are doing the most important work to make the current situation in Artsakh accessible to the whole world.
On the World Press Freedom Day, our main message and call from Artsakh is addressed to the international media to make efforts to bring to the international audience the dire humanitarian situation in Artsakh and the Azeri criminal actions of subjecting Artsakh to ethnic cleansing and their consequences.
GEGHAM STEPANYAN
Artsakh Ombudsman
