LIVE: Key morning headlines from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

● The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum opened in Shusha, Karabakh, under the theme “The Mission of Media in Promoting Peace: Restoring Truth and Rebuilding Trust” (pictured below). Around 160 media representatives, experts, and officials from 53 countries are taking part. The forum brings together about 30 international news agencies and more than 60 leading media organizations. According to the organizers, the program includes panel discussions and interactive sessions aimed at promoting practical steps to rebuild trust between societies, strengthen digital solidarity, and support peace.

● President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Shusha this morning and is meeting with participants of the Global Media Forum. He said Azerbaijan is “seriously considering withdrawing from the Council of Europe.” According to Aliyev, the Council of Europe’s Secretary General asked him not to take that step, and the process was put on hold. However, he said, “nothing has changed since then, and the Parliamentary Assembly’s ultimatum-like demands on Azerbaijan remain unacceptable.” Aliyev stressed that PACE must restore the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation before the country can return to the organization’s work. “European institutions should have the courage to admit the serious mistake they made,” he said.

● On Sunday, Presidential Assistant Hikmet Hajiyev met with participants of the media forum during a tour of the newly built Karabakh Street in Shusha. A total of 10 buildings have been constructed there with state and private funding, including a hotel, apartment hotels, offices, cafés, and restaurants.

● President Ilham Aliyev met with residents of the restored village of Guzeykhirman in the Khojavend district of Karabakh. The village was occupied by Armenian forces in 1992 and came under Azerbaijani control in 2023 following the Second Karabakh War and the subsequent military operation. Of the village’s 549 homes, 170 were completely destroyed and 379 were partially damaged. According to the official statement, 50 homes have already been restored, work is continuing on another 147, and preparations are underway to restore all remaining houses. A new gas pipeline has been laid, water wells equipped with pumps, the water supply network fully rebuilt, and a fiber-optic cable installed. A few days ago, 18 Azerbaijani families (72 people), formerly internally displaced, returned to the village. After the visit, Ilham Aliyev posted a video on social media with the caption: “Over the past 80 years, no state or nation has achieved a victory like Azerbaijan did, and in just 44 days.”

● Azerbaijan has expanded the rules allowing websites to be blocked without a court order under amendments to the Law on Information, Informatization and Protection of Information. State authorities can now temporarily restrict access to internet resources without waiting for a court ruling if they publish insults, defamation, violations of privacy, drug propaganda, pornography, gambling promotion, or content encouraging suicide, according to the amended law. Previously, such blocking without a court order was allowed only in emergency situations involving threats to legally protected state and public interests or an immediate danger to people’s lives and health.

● Authorities are investigating a suspected food poisoning incident at a memorial ceremony in the city of Ganja, where eight people were hospitalized. All were diagnosed with unspecified food poisoning, their condition was reported as satisfactory, and they have since been discharged. Homemade food had been served at the event, and samples have been sent for laboratory testing.

● Azerbaijan’s freestyle wrestling team achieved its best-ever result at the U20 European Championships in North Macedonia. The team won two gold, two silver, and four bronze medals, setting new national records both for total medals and overall points. With 170 points, Azerbaijan finished second in the team standings behind Russia (194), while Armenia placed third with 118 points.

● Azerbaijani wrestler Haji Kerimov won the U20 European championship title.

● Armenia celebrated Vardavar, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ, on Sunday. It is one of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s major holidays, but its origins date back to pre-Christian times, and several pagan traditions have been preserved. One of them is the custom of splashing each other with water. This year, Yerevan City Hall organized large-scale celebrations. In addition to people drenching one another in the streets, municipal vehicles sprayed water over crowds to music. Here are videos and the story behind the holiday.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has filed lawsuits against Sofia Hovsepyan, a former MP from his Civil Contract party, and Edmon Marukyan, leader of the Bright Armenia party. According to Armenia’s Datalex court portal, Pashinyan is demanding that Hovsepyan apologize for what he describes as insulting remarks and retract her allegations that the parliamentary elections were falsified. He is seeking 2 million drams (about $5,500) in compensation for the insults and 4 million drams (about $11,000) for defamation. The lawsuit against Marukyan concerns a video he posted on his Telegram channel shortly after the elections. The specific demands in that case have not been disclosed.

● The Prosecutor General’s Office is seeking to strip two members of the pro-Russian parliamentary opposition of their immunity. They are Narek Karapetyan, leader of the Strong Armenia bloc (29 seats in the new parliament), and Ishkhan Saghatelyan of the Armenia bloc (12 seats). Armenian media report that criminal cases are being prepared against them, although it has not yet been announced what charges they may face.

Following the June 7 parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party secured a constitutional majority with 64 seats.

● U.S. Chargé d’Affaires David Allen met with participants in the Armenian Assembly of America’s summer internship program. The American students spoke about their experience working in Armenia in government institutions, civil society organizations, private companies, and cultural institutions. They also discussed how the program can help strengthen ties between Armenia and the United States.

● The Union of Armenians of Russia issued a statement in support of businessman and pro-Russian politician Gagik Tsarukyan, who is under arrest in Yerevan on charges of large-scale fraud and money laundering. “This is not only a clear violation of democratic norms and human rights, it is a continuation of the political lawlessness launched by Prime Minister Pashinyan in 2018,” the statement said.

●  Employees of the Multi Wellness club in Yerevan, which belongs to Gagik Tsarukyan, staged a protest. The club was closed after Tsarukyan’s arrest, leaving around 150 employees without work. “We all have families, children, and loans to pay. We demand that the club be reopened,” the protesters said.

● Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said Armenian fruit is now exported to 15 countries, vegetables to eight countries, and flowers to 25 countries. In June, Armenia exported 784 tons of peppers, 200 tons of tomatoes, 109 tons of strawberries, 1,400 tons of cherries, and about 3,000 tons of apricots. By the end of the first week of July, apricot exports had already reached 5,450 tons. During June, Armenia also exported 1.5 million liters of mineral water and 230,000 liters of wine.

● Papoyan also announced that the government will allocate 3.14 billion drams (about $8.5 million) in subsidies to exporters for June. The funds are intended to offset part of the costs of entering alternative markets after Russia, previously the main destination for Armenian exports, effectively blocked imports of Armenian products.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia must prepare as much as possible for exports next year and diversify its export markets wherever possible.

● Armenia has received 56 Starlink units donated to the Ministry of High-Tech Industry. “This equipment will provide reliable, high-speed internet connectivity for effective emergency response,” the ministry said.

●  A 12-year-old boy was killed while riding a bicycle at the Sev Berd fortress. He reportedly lost control and crashed into a wall.

● A large tree was uprooted during a windstorm and fell onto a car and a moped. The moped rider, a foreign citizen, died at the scene, according to the Interior Ministry.

● Heavy rains triggered landslides and flooding in Telavi, in Georgia’s Kakheti region. The river overflowed, flooding parts of Kavkasioni and Alazani avenues, as well as residential and commercial buildings. Cars and power lines were damaged. The disaster also affected several nearby villages, where vineyards and agricultural fields were flooded. According to a preliminary assessment by the National Environment Agency, the risk of landslides has increased in the Telavi Gorge river basin. Damage assessment and recovery work are underway.

● Senior police officer Ioseb Sigua has resigned after being accused of violence and threats against his wife. According to the Interior Ministry, a restraining order has been issued against him, he has been fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet, and his right to carry a firearm has been suspended. The investigation was launched following his wife’s public statement.

● On July 11, a march was held in Tbilisi in memory of more than 120 Georgian fighters who have been killed while fighting against Russian aggression in Ukraine. Family members of the fallen also took part. Video report here.

● The State Security Service announced the arrest of Beka Chulukhadze, who had been wanted in connection with the October 4, 2025 case in which a group of protesters allegedly attempted to seize the presidential administration. Chulukhadze was detained in the neutral zone at the Georgian-Armenian border. He is charged with acquiring and possessing a large quantity of weapons and explosives. He denies the charges.

● Family members and supporters of Giorgi Chakhunashvili, a doctor sentenced to five years in prison in the same case, held a protest outside the Prosecutor’s Office. They demanded his release and argued that the law provides legal alternatives to a plea agreement.

● Azerbaijani citizen Emin Aliyev was arrested at Batumi International Airport in connection with a murder committed in Tbilisi on June 27. According to the Interior Ministry, he is accused of killing his relative, Azerbaijani citizen Fatima Karimova, in a rented apartment. The arrest was carried out in coordination with law enforcement authorities in Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

● A Tbilisi resident has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for acquiring, possessing, and distributing pornographic material involving minors.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 6-10 July, 2026