Earlier today, Yerevan-based filmmaker Seda Grigoryan and a group of journalists were denied entry into Artsakh when accompanying two women from Artsakh. The women were attempting to return to Stepanakert from Yerevan in hopes of reuniting with their families.

As they neared the Hakari River Bridge, Lachin (Bedzor) Corridor, Seda reports that the group was kept waiting with border patrol for 4 hours awaiting a response from Russian Peacekeepers to gain entry into Artsakh. After waiting for hours, the group of journalists and the two women were met with radio silence by the Russian Peacekeepers and were not able to proceed past the checkpoint and into Stepanakert. 

Spending hours at the border, Seda observed no traffic coming in or out of the Lachin Corridor except for MIL vehicles and Azerbaijan construction equipment inferring that Aliyev’s claims of an open road are false.

Coincidentally, just a 10 minute drive from Stepanakert, a Global Media Forum addressing “New Media in the 4th Industrial Revolution” in Shushi hosted by Azerbaijan is taking place. In attendance are 250 guests from 50 countries.

During the forum, it is reported that Alyev claims, “the Armenian authorities in Karabakh blocked the main road to Stepanakert and prevented supplies from entering the city while falsely claiming they are facing a blockade.”

As 120K Armenians in Artsakh starve due to a food shortage onset by the Azerbaijan blockade of the Lachin Corridor, Azerbaijan provides catering to their 250 guests in a closed banquet hall. 

Azerbaijan is attempting to take control of the global  narrative of the humanitarian crisis taking place in Artsakh. Armenian journalists are withheld from entering Stepanakert to report on what the Armenians in Artsakh are experiencing. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan is hosting a Global Media Forum where their guests are only receiving information by Aliyev instead of going to Stepanakert to report on what they see for themselves.