Latest news in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, summary. Live

 The protests in Georgia demanding new parliamentary elections have entered their 19th day, with demonstrators seeking a legitimate change in the country’s leadership. Tens of thousands participated in marches across Tbilisi, organized by professional groups such as managers, businesspeople, artists, and veterinarians. In the evening, as in previous days, a united protest took place outside the Parliament building. Photos, videos, and accounts are available here.

Lithuania and Estonia have expanded their sanctions lists against Georgian politicians. The lists now include 17 and 14 names, respectively, both featuring the ruling party’s appointed Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. Read more here

 “The European Union will impose sanctions on 18 individuals and three companies to counter hybrid threats from Russia,” tweeted Rikard Jozwiak, the European Bureau Chief of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The list reportedly includes one Moldovan and one Georgian citizen.

Amnesty International has released a report on the situation in Georgia, highlighting “systematic, state-sanctioned human rights violations.” “The scale of unlawful use of force, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment by the police indicates that they are acting under government directives and are emboldened by impunity,” the report states. Read more here

The Georgian opposition has called on the EU High Representative to “declare the Ivanishvili regime illegitimate” and to “take urgent measures to support the people of Georgia in their fight for European values.” Read more here

 President Salome Zourabichvili met with artists and IT professionals who marched to her administration building in solidarity with her pro-European policies. Protesters greeted Zourabichvili with applause.

 A new platform, freebusiness.ge, has been launched to share reactions and opinions from Georgian entrepreneurs on the country’s ongoing developments. The platform emphasizes that the political crisis has escalated beyond party politics, posing socio-economic risks. It calls for immediate de-escalation through new parliamentary elections by year-end and the release of detained protesters.

 Over 400 HR specialists, managers, and business consultants have signed a statement demanding the release of arrested protesters and the organization of free parliamentary elections.

 The Georgian Information and Communications Association condemned the violence against peaceful protesters, calling it inconsistent with the country’s European aspirations. It demands the immediate release of detained protesters and new democratic elections. The association also criticized the election of the new president by an illegitimate parliament without an alternative candidate.

The ruling Georgian Dream party’s one-party parliament has fast-tracked amendments to the Civil Service Law: • Knowledge of the Georgian state language will no longer be mandatory for heads of state institutions and their deputies; • Heads of primary structural units and their deputies will no longer be classified as civil servants but as “employees under administrative contracts.”

 President Salome Zourabichvili held a phone call with European Council President António Costa, who reaffirmed the EU’s support for the Georgian people in their fight for a European future.

 Newly elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili, chosen by the ruling party, praised the police, claiming there were “no cases of violence against peaceful protesters.”

 Alexey Lobarev, head of Russia’s Association of Law Enforcement Trade Unions, posted on social media about his visit to Tbilisi during the protests at the invitation of local colleagues. He shared photos and videos with Georgian police officers and promoted a book he co-authored titled Collaboration of Psychics with the Police.

Photo David Pipia/JAMnews

The first group of internally displaced persons, consisting of 27 families (152 people), has been resettled in the village of Ballyja in the Khojaly district (Karabakh).

The consular section of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran has resumed operations. The embassy had suspended its activities following an armed attack in January 2023. In mid-July 2024, the ambassador and diplomatic staff returned to Tehran.

Turkish customs officers mistook Grandmaster Shakhriyar Mamedyarov for a smuggler. The chess player, arriving in Istanbul from London, was detained at Sabiha Gökçen Airport, according to FIDE Master Selim Gürkan on the Satranc Okulu YouTube channel. After Mamedyarov identified himself and the officers found information about him online, they apologized and allowed him to enter Turkey. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov currently ranks 16th among the world’s top chess players.

A ceremony was held in Baku to bless the site where a Catholic church dedicated to Saint John Paul II will be built. The event was attended by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

“Armenia’s suspension of its membership in the CSTO (a military alliance led by Russia) is a grave mistake. Yerevan has always received significant support from Moscow and the organization’s members,” said Nikolay Bordyuzha, CSTO Secretary General from 2003 to 2016.

Russian political analyst Andranik Migranyan has been declared persona non grata in Armenia, according to the Union of Armenians of Russia. On December 15, he was denied entry at passport control in Yerevan’s airport while traveling as part of a delegation led by the Union’s president, Ara Abrahamyan. No other members of the delegation faced issues. The reasons for denying Migranyan entry were not disclosed, though he has long been criticized in Armenia for his negative remarks about the country’s pro-European course.

Varazdat Lalayan has been crowned world champion in the super heavyweight category at the championship held in Bahrain.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Georgia’s newly elected president, Mikheil Kavelashvili, backed by the ruling party. “Armenia hopes to strengthen our strategic partnership and enhance cooperation at all levels. We wish him every success in this important role,” Pashinyan wrote on X.

North avenue in Yerevan. Photo by Arthur Harutyunyan

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 9-13 December, 2024