Armenian blogger: Separatist junta charges people $4,000 to leave Khankendi

Armenian blogger Natalie Aleksanyan has stated that representatives of the illegal junta in Azerbaijan’s Khankendi district don’t allow Garabagh Armenians to leave the district for Armenia.

According to her, they demand $4,000 per person for travelling to Armenia.

"Lawlessness reigns in Garabagh and making money out of people is gaining new momentum. Yesterday [September 17] I learnt that the Garabagh authorities together with Russian peacekeepers are extorting $4,000 from people for evacuation to Armenia. To verify this information, I contacted my acquaintances in Garabagh and they confirmed the information,” Caliber.Az reports, citing Aleksanyan’s Facebook page.

“Whereas before we were told that it was Azerbaijan that was blocking people's exit, it has now become clear that it is the Garabagh authorities who are blocking the exit together with the Russian peacekeepers in order to extort large sums of money from desperate people for leaving. Even in these harsh days, criminals do not miss the opportunity to make millions.”

I am more and more disappointed with this illegal situation," the blogger writes.

Earlier, journalist Tereza Asatryan wrote that it costs 1.5 million drams ($3,900) to transport one person by helicopter from Garabagh to Yerevan. According to her, they demand $4,000 per person for travelling to Armenia.