ARTSAKHPRESS: Hasmik Minasyan, Acting Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Artsakh, addressed an open letter to Noel Curran, Director General of the European Broadcasting Union and Gert Kark, Head of the Eurovision TV Project of the European Broadcasting Union.
The letter runs:
Mr. Noel Curran, European Broadcasting Union, Director General Mr. Gert Kark, European Broadcasting Union, Eurovision TV Project Manager
I am writing this email with a request to discuss the following crucial issue within the board meeting of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group.
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On the morning of December 12, Azerbaijan blocked the only road connecting Artsakh to the world, claiming to be conducting an “environmental monitoring.”
The 120,000 residents of the Republic, including 30,000 children, have found themselves in a complete isolation. The only road of life which is used to deliver all cargo to Artsakh – from food to medication – has been cut for the second time in a month, with no indication of when this de facto blockade will be lifted.
31 children and 4 adults accompanying the group who were in Yerevan to participate in Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022 have been staying in the Goris area of Stepanakert-Goris highway with no opportunity to reunite with families.
The situation is worsening given the fact that the weather is getting colder and the children had left for Yerevan for a couple of days and were not prepared to stay longer.
We are certain that such behaviour towards human rights and the welfare of children in particular cannot be tolerated by organisations and decision makers who champion European humanitarian values.
We are looking forward to your support in speaking up and letting international, humanitarian organisations, sovereign states, children’s rights advocacy organisations, leaders realise the necessity to raise awareness of the rights of the children of Artsakh and urgent reunion with families.
We strongly believe and hope that Europe and European values cannot remain indifferent to the fate of the children of Artsakh.
