Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) president Arayik Harutyunyan will render his resignation on Friday, September 1, Harutyunyan himself said on Thursday.

“I made this final decision two days ago, based on my communication with all internal and external actors and the public in recent weeks,” Harutyunyan wrote on social media.

“This is a decision made solely by me based on the results of the analysis of the information I have.”

Harutyunyan also relieved State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan of his post, appointing the Secretary of the Security Council Samvel Shahramanyan in the position. The latter, Harutyunyan said, has been given “wide powers”.

Since December 12, 2022, the sole road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia - the Lachin Corridor - has been blocked by Azerbaijan. Baku tightened the blockade on June 15, 2023, banning emergency relief supplies that were carried out by Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross through the sole road connecting Karabakh to Armenia and the outside world. The move aggravated the shortages of food, medicine and other essential items experienced by the region’s population. On August 15, Karabakh Human Rights Defender’s office reported the first case of death from starvation.