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

● The Georgian Dream-controlled parliament has approved several repressive initiatives in the third and final reading, including:

• The “foreign agents registration act” – a law inspired by the U.S. FARA. However, unlike the American version, which regulates lobbying organizations, the Georgian law targets independent civil society groups and media.
• Amendments to the broadcasting law – banning broadcasters from receiving foreign funding, increasing control over journalistic activities, and tightening penalties.
• Reintroducing the article on treason into the criminal code.
• Removing the term “gender” from 15 existing laws.
• Abolishing the mandatory participation of NGOs in the legislative process. Read more here

● Parliament has also decided to expand the scope and rename the temporary investigative commission initially created by Georgian Dream to examine the period of the previous government – Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency. The new name: Temporary parliamentary investigative commission on the activities of the ruling regime from 2003 to 2012, actions of political office holders of that regime, and current and former officials linked to political parties from 2003 to the present.

● The prosecutor’s office has requested pretrial measures against opposition leader Mamuka Khazaradze, who refused to appear before the commission. The court hearing is set for today.

● “Arbitrariness and inhumane treatment of detainees by police have become common practice,” the Social Justice Center stated, commenting on the detention of activist Luka Kintsurashvili. According to the organization, Kintsurashvili told his lawyer that police officers strip-searched him twice during his detention. He was arrested in Tbilisi on March 31 after refusing to show his phone’s contents to officers who stopped him on the street.

● “Police brutality during protests was systematic and, in some cases, could be classified as torture,” according to a new report by Georgia’s ombudsman. Read more here

● A police officer shot a stray dog in Tbilisi, according to a Facebook post by the Animal Rights Protection Committee. Witnesses say the dog barked at a child, and the officer fired his service weapon at it.

● Cows were fed chicken manure at Kvarlis Baga, the largest dairy producer in Georgia, according to an investigation by the Georgian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Several popular local dairy brands used this milk in their production. Kvarlis Baga is owned by businessman Lasha Papashvili, who is reportedly close to the government. More details today on JAMnews.

● The wealth of Georgia’s informal ruler and honorary chairman of Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, has fallen from $4.9 billion last year to $2.7 billion, according to Forbes US. The publication does not specify the reasons for the decline. However, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates Ivanishvili’s wealth at $7.35 billion, noting that it peaked at $7.8 billion in February 2025.

Photo by David Pipia / JAMnews: An impromptu exhibition near the Parliament in Tbilisi of soldiers who died in the August war with Russia in 2008. People are protesting against the statements made by “Georgian Dream” that Georgia, not Russia, was to blame for starting that war:

● “God-forsaken miserable people who eat our bread.” These words, directed at Karabakh Armenians by Shushan Kazaryan, the wife of the director of Public Radio, sparked a major outcry in Armenian society. In an interview with ABC Media, former National Assembly deputy David Galstyan stated that “this is yet another manifestation of hatred, drawing lines between Armenians.”

● 160 cases of illegal border crossings into Armenia were recorded in 2024, which is twice as many as in 2023, according to the prosecutor’s office report.

● “In the days leading up to the municipal elections in Gyumri and on election day itself, a large camp of [pro-Russian] opposition figures from across Armenia gathered in the city, posing as journalists and observers. Their sole aim was to create the illusion that the authorities were rigging the elections, but their efforts were in vain,” wrote prime minister’s press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan on Facebook. “It’s ironic that the majority of recorded violations were actually committed by the opposition itself, while the accusations against the government remained unfounded,” she added.

* On March 30, an early municipal election was held in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city. While the ruling Civil Contract party won the most votes, it will not be able to form a city government on its own. Opinions on why prime minister Pashinyan’s party “failed” in the city where his “Velvet Revolution” began in 2008 here

● Armenian ruling party MP Vilen Gabrielyan resigned after a scandal involving a journalist. During the municipal elections in Gyumri, he was intoxicated and verbally abused a journalist. Gabrielyan himself called his behavior “unworthy” and stated that politics requires a “culture of responsibility.”

● Defending the MP, his colleagues argued that “journalists provoked him.” “What exactly did Vilen Gabrielyan do wrong? Is an official not allowed to drink alcohol? Yes, a person has the right to be intoxicated on a Sunday,” ruling party MP Armen Khachatryan told Factor TV.

● “My Azerbaijani colleague publicly rejected my offer to meet for an exchange of views on the draft peace agreement, calling me a populist,” wrote chairman of Armenia’s parliamentary standing committee on foreign relations Sargis Khandanyan on X. “If advocating for peace is populism, then I proudly accept this label. My offer remains on the table. I am ready to participate in confidence-building measures at the interparliamentary level, working for peace and stability in our region.” Earlier, Khandanyan had proposed a meeting to Samad Seyidov, chairman of the foreign relations committee of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis.

● Armenian social media is celebrating the announcement that singer Zemfira will perform in Yerevan on July 4. Tickets go on sale on April 8.

● The trial of the popular media outlet Abzas Media continued. Nearly the entire editorial team—seven people, including the editor-in-chief, the director, and several independent experts—remains under arrest. They are accused of smuggling and other crimes, facing up to 12 years in prison. The journalists claim they are being persecuted for their critical reporting. On April 1, Abzas Media journalists Nargiz Absalomova and Magomed Kekalov, as well as Hafiz Babaly, an economics editor at the Turan news agency who was also arrested in this case, were questioned. Absalomova (pictured) stated, “We can be accused of smuggling news, not money. Ilham Aliyev personally ordered our arrest for exposing the illegal actions committed by him and his government.”

● German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in Baku on the evening of April 1 after concluding his visit to Armenia. A meeting with President Ilham Aliyev is planned. The visit takes place amid controversy. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry protested to the German ambassador over an Instagram post on Steinmeier’s official page, which included the flag of the separatist regime that had been established on Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories. The ministry called it a “blatant political provocation” and demanded a public apology. The post was quickly deleted. According to Azerbaijan’s state news agency AZERTAC, German State Secretary Dörte Dinger sent an official apology to Hikmet Hajiyev, the Azerbaijani president’s aide, and agreed to make the letter public. “The post was published due to a technical error. Germany’s well-known position is to support Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,” the letter stated.

● Prominent opposition figure Tofig Yagublu, sentenced to nine years in prison, began a hunger strike “against the unfounded, illegal, and immoral verdict.” “I have been slandered and unjustly imprisoned on false charges. Everyone knows I was arrested for my political activities,” he stated. Yagublu was arrested on December 14, 2023, on charges of fraud involving large sums and the use of forged official documents. Over the course of his political career, he has been imprisoned multiple times. He is calling on the international community to pay attention to Azerbaijan through his hunger strike.

● A court ordered 30 days of pretrial detention for Zaur Rzali, a member of the opposition Popular Front Party and a volunteer driver for party leader Ali Karimli. He was found guilty of petty hooliganism and disobeying police orders. Karimli stated that the authorities “are targeting people in his circle with repression.” According to him, around 15 party members are currently imprisoned, including two of his bodyguards. The party claims all were arrested for political reasons.

● A court sentenced Haji Valiev, chairman of the Union of Young Veterans, to 22 days of pretrial detention. He is accused of hooliganism involving weapons and intentional destruction of property, charges that could result in a five-year prison sentence. Valiev denies the allegations. He is known for his critical statements on social media, and local media report that he has been detained before. According to a list compiled by local human rights organizations, over 350 political prisoners are currently held in Azerbaijani jails. Official authorities deny this, claiming these individuals were convicted for actual crimes.

● The criminal trial against Ruben Vardanyan, former state minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and an Armenian citizen, continued. He faces charges of war crimes, torture, mercenary activities, terrorism, and other offenses. At the April 1 hearing, testimonies from victims were presented.

● Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Simon Mordue, Deputy Secretary-General for Economic and Global Issues at the European External Action Service, and Magdalena Grono, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus. According to official reports, they discussed the state and prospects of Azerbaijan-EU relations, emphasizing the need for continued cooperation in traditional and alternative energy sectors.

● Mehdi Sanai, political advisor to the president of Iran, is on a visit to Baku, where he has already met with Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

● Azerbaijan took the initiative and became the main co-author of a special UN Human Rights Council resolution aimed at protecting the rights of landmine victims.

Journalist of Abzas Media, Nargiz Absalamova, at work before her arrest:

● The 5th president of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, addressed tens of thousands of participants at a pro-European rally near parliament in Tbilisi, announcing the creation of a nationwide Platform of Resistance. “The platform is open to all pro-European parties and groups that are ready to set aside political differences and fully share the two main goals of the protest: to call for new, fair parliamentary elections and to free political prisoners,” Zourabichvili stated.

● Famous opera singer Paata Burchuladze called Zourabichvili’s speech a “disappointment” and “diversion.” “Tens of thousands of people came, and they were told about some plan that no one knows when or how it will be implemented. We don’t have that much time to wait. We are losing the country; it is moving in a different direction. There are mothers here whose children are in prison. She talks about preparing for new elections – what elections can we even talk about when we are losing the whole country? I propose that on April 8, we start an indefinite protest and not disperse until we get a positive decision on the immediate holding of new elections and the release of political prisoners,” Burchuladze said on air for Palitra News.

● The Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a warning that an investigation has been launched regarding the use of pyrotechnics at the rally, which is prohibited under the new law.

● The Batumi city court has begun a substantive review of the criminal case against Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder of the well-known media outlets Netgazeti and Batumelebi. The latest session was held with her presence. Mzia faces up to 7 years in prison on charges of assaulting a police officer after slapping the Batumi police chief, who allegedly insulted her. Representatives from the embassies of the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom attended the session as observers. Solidarity protests in support of Mzia Amaglobeli are being held across Georgia daily. She was brought into the courtroom to chants of “freedom for Mzia!”

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze from Georgian Dream announced that “Georgia will establish its own government efficiency department, which will evaluate the work of the government both in past years and in the present.”

● The administration of Georgian Dream’s presidential representative, Mikheil Kavelashvili, denied rumors that he would attend the parade in Moscow on May 9, calling them “deliberate disinformation.”

● Transparency International – Georgia announced that it is working on an updated catalog of alleged corruption cases in the country’s top government circles, which will allow tracking of these violations and provide insight into the scale of corruption. The list already includes 224 high-level corruption cases involving at least 207 senior officials, including 16 judges, 37 members of parliament, 34 government officials, and 62 municipal employees, according to the statement.

● French photojournalist Jérôme Chobeaux was denied entry into Georgia. He had been actively posting reports on Instagram about the pro-European protests in Tbilisi, which have been ongoing for four months.

● British Airways has launched London-Tbilisi-London flights, with four weekly departures from Heathrow Airport.

At the mass protest rally near parliament on March 31 in honor of Georgia’s Independence Referendum Day. Photo by David Pipia / JAMnews:

● The German ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ralf Horlemann, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was given a “strong protest” regarding the placement of the separatist regime’s flag on the German president’s Instagram page during his visit to Armenia. The ministry called it an “unacceptable open political provocation.” The post has since been removed from the German president’s social media accounts. According to Azerbaijan’s APA news agency, the ambassador called the publication a “technical mistake” and issued a verbal apology. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “Germany must publicly apologize for this violation.”

*Frank-Walter Steinmeier began his visit to the region on March 30 by traveling to Yerevan, where he stated that Germany and Europe are interested in stability in the South Caucasus. He called the progress in drafting a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia “impressive” and said he would discuss the matter in Baku, where he will travel after Yerevan. His visit will continue until April 2, and he is scheduled to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

● The well-known opposition figure Tofig Yagublu, who is currently under arrest, announced that he has begun a hunger strike on April 1 “against the unfounded, unlawful, and immoral sentence” of nine years in prison. “I was slandered and unjustly imprisoned on false charges. Everyone knows that I was arrested for my political activities.” Tofig Yagublu was arrested on December 14, 2023. He has been charged with fraud causing significant financial damage, including the use of forged official documents. Throughout his political career, Yagublu has been imprisoned multiple times. He has called on the international community to focus attention on Azerbaijan through his hunger strike, read more here

● Niyameddin Ahmedov, a member of the Popular Front Party and the bodyguard of party leader Ali Karimli, has ended his hunger strike after more than a month. It was reported that he made this decision for the sake of his mother, who had announced that she would also begin a hunger strike. Ahmedov’s hunger strike was in response to the decision to toughen his sentence and transfer him to a high-security facility for a year. In 2020, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of financing terrorism and inciting actions against the state. Ahmedov categorically denies these accusations, stating that he was arrested simply for serving as Karimli’s bodyguard on a voluntary basis.

● Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov posted on X in connection with the March 31 Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis. “We honor and remember the tens of thousands of innocent Azerbaijanis who were brutally massacred by radical Armenian groups 107 years ago. The recurrence of such horrific acts by #Armenia against innocent Azerbaijanis – ranging from mass deportations, ethnic cleansing, and genocide, to war crimes – underscores the necessity for ending impunity of those responsible for these atrocities,” the statement reads.

● The Ministry of Defense stated that “Armenia is trying to create a false perception within the international community and hide its armed provocations by spreading misleading information.” “Armenia has been regularly shelling Azerbaijani army units in recent days, as well as attempting reconnaissance flights […], while simultaneously spreading disinformation to cover up its provocations. The claims that Azerbaijani forces allegedly shelled the Armenian settlement of Khanazakh are false. However, on March 31, Armenian forces once again fired on Azerbaijani positions near the settlement of Bazarchai in the Garakilsa region,” the ministry’s statement reads.

● The Presidents of Azerbaijan and Iran had a phone conversation, which experts describe as a noteworthy event amid the recent tensions between Iran and the United States. The press service of the Azerbaijani president reported that during the call, “satisfaction was expressed with the dynamics of high-level mutual visits between the two countries, and opinions were exchanged on the prospects of bilateral cooperation in various fields.” U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with new sanctions, tariffs, and military actions due to Tehran’s refusal to engage in direct negotiations with Washington regarding its rapidly expanding nuclear program.

● The Azerbaijan Press Council condemned a Deutsche Welle documentary on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict as a “violation of all journalistic principles.” “Only ethnic Armenians are featured as experts in the film, and several biased claims are made, including an attempt to frame the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in religious terms. The film was prepared by the Armenian lobby in France and later translated and distributed by Deutsche Welle. We urge Deutsche Welle to refrain from actions that could spark new conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia and to stop spreading absurd information,” the statement said.

● As a result of shelling from Azerbaijan, a residential house in Syunik was damaged, but there were no casualties, the Ministry of Defense reported. “The incident occurred at night, around 00:50, when the enemy opened fire in the direction of the village of Khnatsakh in the Syunik region,” the statement said.

● German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, currently visiting Yerevan, posted a photo featuring the flag of the former unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on his social media. In the accompanying text, he wrote that “Nagorno-Karabakh was predominantly populated by Armenians.” At a briefing with his Armenian counterpart, Vahagn Khachaturyan, Steinmeier emphasized Germany’s interest in stability in the South Caucasus and stated that a peace agreement with Baku should pave the way toward it. He also highlighted Germany’s support for Armenia’s interest in the EU and Europe.

● The parents of 81 fallen soldiers refuse to recognize their remains, MP Gegham Nazaryan told journalists after a meeting between security officials and the relatives of missing soldiers. Nazaryan, who lost his own son in the 44-day war in autumn 2020, said he repeatedly asked investigators for his son’s personal belongings but never received them. It turned out that the belongings of fallen soldiers had been collected without proper identification. The investigative committee justified this by saying they were unprepared for such a workload, but the MP rejected this explanation.

● The meeting took place in a tense atmosphere. Nazaryan specifically asked what should be done if multiple DNA tests confirmed the identity of fallen soldiers, revealing that some of the missing were actually among them, yet the parents refused to accept the deaths of their sons. This wording angered the meeting participants, who stated that Nazaryan had no right to refer to their sons as deceased.

● Armenia has selected the company responsible for producing biometric passports and ID cards. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the consortium DEMIA Identity Security France and A.C.I. Technology S.à.r.l. will take on the project. Production of the new cards will begin in the second half of 2026. According to the ministry’s plan, the private operator will not only print the documents but also handle their issuance.

● National Security Service chief Armen Abazyan announced the launch of a criminal case following a video posted by Turkish blogger Ogyun Ozdemir, in which he stands in the center of Yerevan and calls it “historical Azerbaijani land.”

● Discussions continue regarding the municipal elections in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city. The ruling party received the highest number of votes but failed to secure the “50+1” majority needed to appoint its mayoral candidate. Opposition parties are working on forming a coalition to nominate their own candidate for mayor. Read more here

● A group of forcibly displaced Karabakh Armenians held another protest outside the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, demanding the reinstatement of social assistance, which will be significantly reduced starting today. “We deserve a dignified life,” wrote Karabakh mothers on the ground at the entrance to the government building.

● At 8 PM today, large-scale rallies will take place across Georgia to mark the 34th anniversary of the March 31, 1991, referendum, where nearly 99% of voters supported restoring the country’s independence. Fifth president Salome Zourabichvili will address demonstrators in Tbilisi. The rallies are part of ongoing mass protests demanding the release of arrested demonstrators and new parliamentary elections.

● Protesters marching from Dmanisi (Kvemo Kartli) will join the Tbilisi rally after covering 100 km, stopping in four cities and 20 villages to hold demonstrations in solidarity with “prisoners of conscience” arrested during pro-European protests (pictured below).

● Opposition leaders and Salome Zourabichvili met to discuss freeing detained protesters, resisting Georgian Dream repression, and holding new elections to change power legally.

● Public outrage is growing over a parliamentary commission from Georgian Dream reviewing the presidency of Mikheil Saakashvili, including the 2008 Georgia-Russia war. Many active and former military personnel, police officers, and families of fallen soldiers oppose claims that Georgia started the war, stating, “Russia is the main aggressor, and the current government follows its orders.”

● The National Bank of Georgia and the People’s Bank of China signed a memorandum on bilateral cooperation.

● Irakli Bebua, a 33-year-old Georgian citizen who spent five years in an Abkhazian prison for publicly burning the Abkhaz flag, has been released and is now on government-controlled territory.

The sign on the poster in the photo reads: “We demand new elections!”

● Municipal elections were held on March 30 in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city. According to unofficial preliminary results, the ruling Civil Contract party’s candidate, Sariq Minasyan, received the most votes with 36.22%. The Communist Party, represented by former mayor Vardan Ghukasyan, secured 20.48%. Other results: Our City with candidate Martun Grigoryan – 15.56%, producer Ruben Mkhitaryan’s party – 7.87%, and the Mother Armenia bloc led by Karen Simonyan – 6.11%.

●  Despite its lead, the ruling party likely did not secure the required ’50+1′ majority and may be unable to govern Gyumri alone.

●  The Mother Armenia bloc announced its readiness to support any opposition candidate with the highest vote count to prevent the ruling party from taking control. Other opposition groups have yet to make statements.

● The ombudsman’s office reported numerous violations and social tensions during municipal elections in Gyumri and Parakar, citing incidents of forced campaigning, breaches of ballot secrecy, and other irregularities. The findings will be compiled and sent to relevant authorities.

● Prime Minister’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan stated that the elections were mostly peaceful and accused opposition media of intentionally spreading claims of violations.

● The opposition Our City bloc reported that its candidate for the Gyumri Council of Elders, Anahit Khalatyan, was kidnapped. Mayoral candidate Martun Grigoryan claimed she was secretly taken to Yerevan without notifying her lawyer. Human rights activist Arsen Babayan later confirmed her detention.

● “Voter turnout in Gyumri’s municipal elections compared to previous years is cautiously encouraging,” wrote former head of the State Revenue Committee Davit Ananyan on Facebook.

● The defense ministry denied Azerbaijan’s claims of weekend shelling from Armenia. “This information is false. The ministry is ready to investigate if evidence is provided to the Armenian side, in line with the prime minister’s office position. We remind that Armenia proposed a joint Armenia-Azerbaijan mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations, but Azerbaijan has yet to respond,” the statement said.

● German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in Armenia for an official visit. He is scheduled to meet with President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, visit the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, and attend a cultural reception.

● A protest by displaced Karabakh women took place near government residences in Yerevan (pictured below). They opposed the April 1 cuts to financial assistance for Karabakh refugees. Their banners read: “Housing program failed, Artsakhis left homeless,” “Armenia is Artsakh’s security guarantor, not an observer,” and “Dignified living in our homeland.”

● Today, Azerbaijan marks the Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis. According to the official version, on March 31, 1918, around 12,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, and tens of thousands went missing in massacres carried out by Armenian armed groups. Expert Toghrul Mashalli examines different accounts of these events.

● On March 30, mosques across Azerbaijan held celebratory services marking the end of Ramadan.

● A court has ordered the one-month pretrial detention of Galib Mammadov, head of Melissa Group, after an excavator from his company began demolishing a residential building last week while residents were still inside. Mammadov has been charged under Article 186.2.2 of the Criminal Code, “intentional destruction or damage to property,” carrying a prison sentence of three to seven years. Excavator driver Einullayev Gala Seymur oglu has also been detained in connection with the case and faces the same charges. A court decision on his pretrial detention is pending. Here is a video report on the incident.

●  The Ministry of Defense reported that over the weekend, Armenian armed forces attempted three reconnaissance drone flights near Azerbaijani army positions in the Gerenzur area. There were also multiple instances of gunfire from the Armenian side toward Goris, Basarkechar, and Chambarak.

●  Starlink announced on X that its “high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Azerbaijan.”

● In January-February, trade between Azerbaijan and China increased 1.5 times compared to the same period in 2024. According to the customs committee, Azerbaijani exports to China grew 5.3 times, reaching $10.9 million, while imports from China rose 1.5 times to $734.5 million. Here, an economist provides a critical analysis of the significant import-export gap and its impact on Azerbaijan’s economy.

● The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed condolences over the devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand.

PHOTO: Construction in Karabakh is advancing rapidly. In Shusha, Soviet-era apartment buildings have been demolished, and ten new structures—including a hotel, office spaces, restaurants, and the city’s state reserve administration building—are being built simultaneously. The project, which began two years ago, is set for completion by the end of this year, according to the pro-government outlet Report, which also published photos of the site:

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 24-28 March, 2025