Eco-activist: 'We demand monitoring in Karabakh and a fair environmental assessment'

Azerbaijani environmental activists holding a protest action in Karabakh demand the creation of conditions for environmental monitoring at gold and copper-molybdenum mines illegally developed in Karabakh, Jala Ismailova, an employee of the Ecosphere social and environmental center, told Report's correspondent at the scene.

According to her, in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, which are under the temporary control of Russian peacekeepers, illegal activities and the depletion of Azerbaijan's natural resources are carried out, this is done uncontrollably, without observing any environmental rules. As a result, the environment suffers enormous damage, rivers and groundwater are polluted with heavy metals.

"We demand a fair assessment of the situation in our liberated territories, which have been subjected to merciless exploitation for many years, ecocide has been committed in our lands: arson, chemical pollution of rivers, illegal exploitation of resources. We appeal to world environmentalists - do not be indifferent," the ecologist said.

Ismailova stressed that the protesters will continue to participate in the actions no matter what, adding that they have already set up tents near the peacekeepers' post.