In a ruling announced on Wednesday (22 February), the International Court of Justice in The Hague has obliged Azerbaijan to "take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions".
The ruling, which is binding, was passed by a vote of 13-2.
The ruling concerns a case brought by Armenia against Azerbaijan requesting the ICJ to indicate certain "provisional measures" to Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh and the ongoing "blockade" of the Lachin Corridor. The hearing took place on 30 January 2023.
Armenia requested three provisional measures, of which only the measure concerning unimpeded movement along the Lachin Corridor was accepted. The other two, concerning the cessation of Azerbaijani "protests" on the Corridor, and the restoration and continued provision of natural gas supplies and other public utilities to Nagorno-Karabakh, were rejected.
Azerbaijani provisional measures against Armenia rejected
In a competing case that Azerbaijan brought against Armenia, the hearing of which took place on 31 January 2023, the ICJ unanimously rejected the two provisional measures that Azerbaijan had requested the ICJ to indicate to Armenia. Both of the provisional measures in question concerned landmines.
A summary of the 30 January and 31 January hearings can be read on KarabakhSpace here, and here, respectively.
The full ICJ rulings on the Armenia vs. Azerbaijan case, and on the Azerbaijan vs. Armenia case, can be read here, and here, respectively.