Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from April 8-12, 2024

●  The CIS Council of Foreign Ministers convenes today in Minsk, with Azerbaijan represented by Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov.

●  Azerbaijan plans to increase gas exports by an additional 5 billion cubic meters through the “Ring of Solidarity” to Balkan countries. The Solidarity Ring (STRING) initiative, supported by Bulgaria and the European Commission, aims to enhance gas supply security to the EU, Central, and Southeastern Europe.

●  Remittances from Azerbaijan to the US have declined by 2.5 times, with 2023 seeing individuals sending $54.8 million compared to $82 million in 2022.

● Two Azerbaijani universities have made the Quacquarelli Symonds Higher Education Agency’s world rankings. Azerbaijan University of Languages ranks among the top 301-340 universities worldwide for Modern Languages, while Azerbaijan State Economic University is listed among the top 351-400 for Economics and Econometrics, and 501-550 for Social Sciences and Management.

●  Carsharing services are launching in Baku. The company providing cab services has already brought dozens of new cars to the city. Their minimum rental price will be 60 gyapiks [about $0.3] per minute.

However, in order for this system to work in Azerbaijan, it is necessary to amend the legislation. The current one prohibits driving a car without a notarized power of attorney.

● Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan emphasizes that Yerevan’s cooperation with the US and the EU is not aimed against the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

● Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan announces that Yerevan and Tbilisi are prepared to finalize the delimitation process.

●  India has appointed its first military attaché in Armenia, as reported by India Today. Additionally, New Delhi plans to deploy military attaches to nine more countries.

●  The World Bank has revised Armenia’s GDP growth forecast, predicting 5.5% growth in 2024 and 4.9% in 2025. These figures represent increases of 0.8% and 0.4% respectively compared to the January forecast.

●  The French ambassador to Armenia, Olivier Decotigny, visited Kapan airport in the Syunik region, near Azerbaijani positions, emphasizing its status as Armenia’s sovereign infrastructure.

●  “The situation in Armenia resembles Ukraine by the incompetence of its leaders,” said former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian.

“The first phase, close to Ukrainianization, occurred with the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, and now the republic is on the verge of the second – with the potential loss of territories. The 44-day war, like the war in Ukraine, could have been avoided, but unfortunately both countries are led by people who have no idea about diplomacy and international politics.”

●  “New viruses are spreading in Armenia with the help of Pegasus spyware,” according to information security expert Samvel Martirosyan.

“In particular, we are talking about the new ‘chain letters’ from Apple: if someone has received them, it means his device is already infected or there was an attempt to infect it.”

●  Freedom House has assessed that Georgia is moving towards “semi-consolidated authoritarian regimes”.

According to its “Nations in Transit 2024” report, the country scored poorly in “local democratic governance”, with 2.75 out of 7 points, attributed to deep political polarization; in “judicial independence” – just 2.5 points, and “corruption” – 3 points.

●  Georgia’s Public Defender proposed amending the country’s Grants Law and modifying the eAIMS database as an alternative to the controversial “foreign agents” bill. According to Levan Ioseliani, this should enhance transparency in foreign funding for NGOs and media.

*The eAIMS database on foreign aid to Georgia was established four years ago through joint efforts of the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic Structures, and the Government Administration of Georgia.

●  Renowned opera singer and civil activist Paata Burchuladze announced plans to establish a new non-party alliance that will include representatives from the opposition and non-governmental organizations. Their motto will be “Forward, to Europe!”, he said.

●  European Union Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczyński commented on the foreign agents bill proposed by the Georgian government:

“I understand there are concerns about transparency. But there are other ways to ensure it. Simply put – this is a bad law. It is neither European nor American”.

●  More reactions from the international community:

Former NDI Office Head in Georgia Laura Thornton: “The Georgian Dream government is spreading misinformation by claiming that their proposed foreign agents law is similar to U.S. legislation. It is not!”

Former Prime Minister of Lithuania and Member of the European Parliament Andrius Kubilius: “If the Georgian Dream adopts the foreign agents bill, it will rise in the Kremlin hybrid influence ranking – it does not support Ukraine; it has registered a foreign agents bill and introduced a homophobic one; and it is controlled by an oligarch with Kremlin ties.”

Member of the European Parliament Viola von Cramon: “If the ‘foreign agents law’ is passed, it will be impossible to give a positive assessment for Georgia’s accession to the EU.”

●  Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ilia Darchiashvili, however, believes that linking the foreign agents law to Georgia’s European integration is “the wrong approach”.

● Special prayers (namaz) marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan were performed in mosques throughout Azerbaijan.

●  Azerbaijani border guard Senior Lieutenant Rovshan Mammadov was wounded as a result of shelling from the Armenian side and has been hospitalized.

A criminal case has been initiated under charges of “attempted premeditated murder of two or more persons” and “attempted premeditated murder motivated by national, racial, religious hatred, or enmity.”

●   Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazadeh has announced that a meeting of religious leaders will take place in Baku by the end of the year. He said: “If [Armenia’s] Catholicos Karekin II changes his stance and recognizes Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, he may be invited to participate in the meeting of religious leaders as well.”

●  Armenia’s Foreign Ministry stated that “the pogroms in Marag 32 years ago were another part of Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing”.

“More than 50 civilians were brutally killed, with as many taken captive, and around 5000 people were forcibly displaced. This is documented in reports from human rights organizations.”

●  The “Together” movement will appeal to the Prosecutor General’s Office regarding “violations committed by the Nikol Pashinyan team during their time in power.”

Work on the relevant document will commence soon, said the movement’s coordinator and leader of the Armenian Democratic Party, Aram Sarkisyan.

●  Armenia’s National Security Service reports an incident on the internal section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in Khozorisk:

While searching for his lost herd, an Armenian shepherd ended up in Azerbaijani territory. Border guards from both sides opened fire, resulting in an Azerbaijani serviceman being wounded. The Azerbaijani side has already returned the herd. The shepherd is also now back in Armenian territory.

●  “Russia and Turkey are interested in continuing the ‘3+3′ platform’s work on the South Caucasus,” according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry following a meeting between Deputy Minister Galuzin and Turkish Ambassador Bilgic.

●  Cocaine worth over half a million dollars was discovered in a package sent to Armenia from the USA. The State Revenue Committee reported that the drugs were concealed among clothing and footwear. During searches of the suspects’ homes, additional narcotics were also found.

● “We are concerned that the legislation will derail Georgia from its European path”, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Robin Dunnigan commented on the new attempt by the Georgian authorities to adopt the “foreign agents law” and on their claims that the document is a replica of its Western, including American, counterparts. “The way this legislation is drafted, it is not similar to the law [FARA] in the United States. … Our law specifically requires organizations and individuals who lobby, who are paid to lobby on behalf of foreign governments for foreign governments interests. It requires them to register. It is a very different law.” Read more here

● The discussion of the bill in parliament is scheduled for 10 a.m. on April 15. At the same time, a protest rally will begin near the parliament. The announcement of the protest states: “After the review and approval of the ‘Russian law’ by the legal committee, ‘Georgian Dream’ will be able to bring it to the plenary session and adopt it in the first reading. Our main goal is for the ‘Russian law’ not to pass the legal committee and the first reading, because its initiators can only withdraw it before the first reading. If the ‘Russian law’ is passed by the legal committee, the only chance left will be to defeat it in the plenary session, but this will significantly complicate the situation.”

● Head of USAID Samantha Power: “Georgia is now on, or seems to be, on the path to Europe – there is no place for such a law on foreign agents in Europe”.

● “By re-tabling the ‘agent law’, the authorities are betraying their commitments to the Georgian people and deliberately undermining the historic opportunity for the Georgian people to become a member of the European Union alongside Moldova and Ukraine”: the International PEN Center of Georgia.

●  Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze: “The opposition is trying to drag sports and arts into their political mud.”

● “European future is our national choice” –  the football club Dynamo condemns the bill.

● The opposition party “Lelo” plans to propose a legislative initiative titled “Ensuring the Well-being of Georgian Youth” aimed at combating the proliferation of drug addiction. Mamuka Khazaradze, the leader of “Lelo,” has criticized the ruling party, alleging that their anti-drug efforts are merely for public display and fail to target genuinely significant offenders. The party’s proposed measures will focus on enhancing penalties for officials implicated in drug-related activities, he said.

● Opposition in the Georgian parliament labels former PM Irakli Garibashvili as “a symbol of corruption of the current government, lawlessness, and misuse of public funds” and calls for creation of an investigative commission  to scrutinize his assets and the origins of his elderly parents’ wealth. Several months ago, journalists uncovered that Garibashvili, during his tenure as prime minister, used a government aircraft for personal travel, specifically chartering a flight to America. Garibashvili asserts that his father covered the expenses for the flight. Read more here

● A visa-free travel agreement for Georgian citizens with China has been finalized. China Southern Airlines has already announced plans to expand its flight offerings to Georgia.

● The opposition movement “Together” has declared its readiness to take drastic actions if a significant number of people join street protests demanding the resignation of Nikol Pashinyan. Former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan stated at a rally near the parliament building that they would block key government buildings such as the Cabinet building and the General Staff, demanding television coverage, but only if the majority of citizens support their cause.

● The Speaker of the People’s Assembly of Armenia remarked, “It is possible that no peace agreement will be signed with Azerbaijan if both parties fail to reach an agreement, including on border demarcation.”

● The Iranian Foreign Ministry commented on the US-EU-Armenia meeting in Brussels, stating, “The South Caucasus should not be turned into an arena for geopolitical competition.”

● The Ministry of Defense dismissed Azerbaijan’s claims of Armenian forces firing on Azerbaijani positions on April 9 as “another instance of misinformation.”

● Armenia will be represented at the upcoming meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS in Minsk on April 12 at the deputy head level, according to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. This contradicts earlier reports from the Armenian Foreign Ministry, which stated that their head would not attend the meeting.

● During a phone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Nikol Pashinyan endorsed the principles of a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan established at meetings in Prague, Brussels, and Granada, emphasizing that any distortion of these principles is unacceptable.

● Following a closed meeting in parliament on the issue of border delimitation and demarcation, Deputy Ishkhan Saghatelyan expressed concerns that Azerbaijan was imposing new conditions on Armenia, and the authorities were not prepared to resist.

● The Armenian women’s football team secured a 3:2 victory against the Bulgarian team in an away qualifying match for the European Championship, marking the first victory for Armenian football players in 13 years, as reported by the Football Federation of Armenia.

● Today and tomorrow mark the celebration of the Ramadan holiday in Azerbaijan, with April 10 to 14 declared as non-working days in the country.

● Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey exchanged congratulations over the phone in honor of Ramadan.

● President Ilham Aliyev visited the Hajigabul district, Ganja, and Gabala district, participating in the opening of several infrastructure projects.

● During a visit to Kyrgyzstan, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with the country’s president, Sadyr Japarov, discussing the importance of continued coordinated efforts and mutual support within international and regional organizations.

● Kyrgyzstan announced plans to construct a school in the Agdam region.

● The Ministry of Defense issued two reports yesterday regarding shelling incidents targeting border posts by the Armenian armed forces.

● Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are set to conduct joint tactical command and staff exercises with computer support this year, as announced by the Ministry of Defense.

● Azerbaijan is preparing to commence production of electric buses in collaboration with the Chinese company BYD Company Limited. Initial investment from BYD amounts to $34 million, with local bus production scheduled to start in 2025.

● Michael Hikari Chechire, Advisor to the Helsinki Commission, applauded the massive march in Tbilisi against the “Russian” law on foreign agents, stating, “The Georgian people’s determination cannot be halted. Their next destination is the European Union!”

● The US Helsinki Commission emphasized the importance of rejecting the Russian-style foreign agents bill, with Senators Cardin and Wicker urging Georgian authorities to return to the path of liberal democracy.

● Iliko Sukhishvili, director of the renowned modern ballet “Sukhishvilebi,” stated: “Following the Soviet regime, the current one is no less terrible in its format; they are moving us away from the prospect of freedom.”

● Nino Sukhishvili, General Director of “Sukhishvilebi,” expressed: “Being together with European countries and America is a guarantee of our security. We know and must not forget that our first external enemy is Russia, with all its aggression.”

● The German Academic Exchange Service DAAD cautioned that adopting the law on foreign agents in its current form aligns Georgia with Russia and jeopardizes its European future. Here’s an analysis of the fundamental difference between the project proposed by the ruling party and similar Western laws 

● The UN mission in Georgia urged parliament to withdraw the bill on foreign agents, modeled after the Russian law.

● “The ruling Georgian Dream needs this Russian law in order to divide Georgian society, officially designate someone as an agent and traitor, and someone as a patriot. They are creating an environment that will help them win the parliamentary elections in October,” said the leader of the For Georgia party, former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.

● “The Association of Nannies of Georgia issued a statement against the intention to pass a law on foreign agents, which would include any organizations that receive more than 20 percent of foreign funding: ‘We managed to create an association and work only thanks to partnerships with international foundations and trade unions. Accepting this law now is just mockery!'”

● A protest action is scheduled for April 15 against the discussion of the bill on foreign agents in the legal committee of parliament.

● The European Court held Russia accountable for human rights violations during the borderization process in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone following the 2008 war. Read more here

● A criminal case has been initiated against a Georgian resident on charges of aggravated human trafficking. The farm owner forced four individuals to work for him without pay, subjected them to insults and beatings, and denied them the opportunity to return home, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

In the photo: A march in Tbilisi protesting against the “Russian” law on foreign agents:

● Today marks 35 years since the tragic events of April 9, 1991, when the Soviet army suppressed a peaceful demonstration in Tbilisi, resulting in 21 deaths and numerous injuries. A detailed story with photos and videos can be found here 

● Member of the European Parliament Viola von Cramon accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of deception, stating that they promised not to initiate the foreign agents law but did so anyway. She condemned this move as anti-European and pro-Russian, aiming to sabotage Georgia’s path to the European Union.

● The Legal Committee of Parliament will begin discussing the foreign agents law on Monday, April 15, contrary to the original date set for Friday, April 12.

● The presidential secretary warned that if the foreign agents law is adopted, President Salome Zurabishvili will veto it.

● President Salome Zurabishvili met with representatives of the diplomatic corps to discuss the potential consequences of the foreign agents law initiated by the ruling party and the general situation in Georgia.

● Russian opposition figure Dmitry Gudkov stated: “The foreign agent status [in Russia] destroyed independent journalism, independent politics, and created problems for musicians, artists who opposed the regime. These people were expelled from the country by the regime, and they can only work under conditions where they have advertisers in their own country. Putin got rid of many critics within the country and strengthened his own government.”

● Pianist Giorgi Gigashvili expressed: “The children’s music competition ‘Ranina,’ football, any successes in Georgia – these are all very good. But there’s no visible fulfillment of the promises that this government made to the people. We were promised a year ago that we wouldn’t see the foreign agents law in Georgia for the second time. There was a lull, people were excited about their victories, and it seemed like everyone had forgotten their problems. And then they appeared. But lies and betrayal will not be accepted by the youth, by my colleagues older than me, by the entire healthy population of Georgia, which, I truly hope, will be the majority.”

● A march against the foreign agents law and for Georgia’s European future is scheduled in Tbilisi today at 6 pm at Republic Square.

● The leader of the “Girchi – More Freedom” party, Zura Japaridze, believes that the cancellation of registration of the aggressive pro-Russian party Alt Info in the state register is a “dangerous precedent.” “Bidzina Ivanishvili (a billionaire, considered the shadow ruler of the country) is clearing the pro-Russian field so that the votes in the parliamentary elections in October do not have to be divided,” Japaridze said.

● The final court hearing took place in the case of Lazare Grigoriadis, an activist accused of violence against police during protests in Tbilisi against the “foreign agents” law last March. However, the decision will be announced later – “within a reasonable time,” the judge said. Lazare Grigoriadis faces 7 to 11 years in prison; he does not admit to any of the charges. Read more here

● Gia Kalandadze, the grandfather of Lazare Grigoriadis, stated, “They want to punish Lazare as an example to show other young people: this is what will happen if you protest. Our government probably decided from the very beginning that they would bring this law back, and they prepared for this.”

● A group of people with oncological diseases continues their declared round-the-clock protest at the government administration, demanding that the authorities fulfill their promise and provide full funding for their treatment. Currently, there is a limit on state aid of only 25,000 lari per year (approximately $10,000). As stated by the founder of the Union for Life organization, Gvantsa Apkhadze, the protests will continue until their demands are met.

● Director of the Union of Airports Irakli Karkashadze announced the launch of a new airport in the Vaziani area near Tbilisi by 2029. This was also reported by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

● Wizz Air will operate special flights from Kutaisi to cities in Germany for the Georgian national team’s games in June.

Photo by JAMnews/David Pipia showing protests against the foreign agents law last March, with a poster reading: “No to Russian law!”

● President Ilham Aliyev extended Ramadan greetings to the nation. Non-working days are observed from April 10 to 14.

●  Ramin Mamedov was appointed chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Structures. He previously handled contacts with Armenian residents of Karabakh.

● Presidential Assistant Hikmet Hajiyev received the Ambassador of Ukraine Vladislav Kanevsky. “Such business meetings are not only an opportunity to address current issues on the bilateral agenda but also a sincere mutual desire to strengthen strategic partnership with concrete steps and ambitious projects,” said the Ambassador of Ukraine.

● Journalist Ismail Tagiyev has been summoned to the police as a witness in the “Abzas-Media case”. He announced this on his social media page. Six employees of this prominent independent online publication, including the director, his deputy, and the editor-in-chief, have been arrested. They are accused of smuggling and face five to eight years in prison. Read more here

● The identities of individuals who spread fake news about the Azerbaijani army have been identified. Rashad Aliyev and Parviz Malikov wrote on social media about alleged tensions increasing on the border with Armenia, the presence of killed and wounded Azerbaijani soldiers, and the imposition of a curfew in Lachin.

● In Baku, a police officer, Ruslan Kazymov, died in a firearm accident.

● Economic matters between Azerbaijan and Russia were discussed in Moscow by Elvira Nabiullina and Mikail Jabbarov.

● Salmonella was discovered in 450 kg of frozen chicken from Belarus delivered to Azerbaijan, leading to the destruction of all affected goods.

● Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will not attend the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS countries on April 12 in Minsk.

● Armenia has responded to Azerbaijan’s latest proposals for a peace treaty, according to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Ani Badalyan. This marks the eighth edition of the proposed draft peace treaty.

● A protest rally took place near the building of the Armenian Foreign Ministry coinciding with the visit of CE Secretary General Maria Pejčinović-Burich to Armenia. Protesters demanded the release of political prisoners. Pejčinović-Burić held talks with the Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister, describing the negotiations with the Armenian Prime Minister as “excellent” and promising continued support for reforms in Armenia.

● The Armenian army will adopt a new military charter, with “Keztse” (Long live!) replacing the current greeting of “Hurray!”

● Armenia continues to experience a decline in birth rates, with 390 fewer children born in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

● Former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan, has been nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for his charitable and humanitarian efforts.

● Member of the House of Lords Baroness Caroline Cox discussed assistance for forcibly displaced individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia’s Minister of Social Security Narek Mkrtchyan.

● Ameriabank has been sold, with changes in shareholder structure announced by the bank. As of April 4, the shareholders are Georgia Group PLC (60%), Bank of Georgia JSC (30%), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (10%).

● On April 6th and 7th, there was unrest at the border with Azerbaijan, as reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

• One house in the village of Teh was hit by indiscriminate and non-targeted fire from the Azerbaijani side, with no casualties reported.

• As a result of indiscriminate overnight shelling by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the village of Movses in the Tavush region, homes and a gravestone were damaged, and in the village of Nerk’in Karmir Aghpyur, a civilian car was damaged. There were no casualties among the residents of the bordering villages.

● “The shelling by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in close proximity to Armenian villages aims to intimidate the civilian population,” wrote ombudsman Anaït Manasyan on social media.

● Prominent cultural figures came to congratulate women in the military on the eve of Motherhood and Beauty Day (pictured): composer Robert Amirkhanyan, artistic director and chief conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia Eduard Topchyan, and orchestra director Norayr Nazaryan.

● The experimental international mission of astronauts to study Mars, conducted in Armenia, has concluded. Six analog astronauts emerged from isolation, venturing beyond the analog space station for the first time in the past month. Armenia was chosen as the testing ground for the station for a reason: the region’s landscape closely resembles that of Mars’ surface.

● “Armenian Armed Forces shelled Azerbaijani positions towards Nakhchivan. Azerbaijani Armed Forces took adequate retaliatory measures,” the defense ministry’s statement said.

● “The return of residents to Shusha will begin in 1-2 months. The construction of the first residential complex consisting of 23 houses is nearing completion,” said the special representative of the President of Azerbaijan in the Shusha district, Aydin Kerimov.

● The Azerbaijani cultural center “Shusha” has opened in the Turkish city of Kayseri.

● The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over the detention of environmental activist Greta Thunberg during a peaceful demonstration in The Hague. “As the presiding country in COP29, we urge the Dutch authorities to respect the freedom of expression of climate change protesters and release those detained,” the statement said.

● An Azerbaijani officer who sustained severe injuries during an anti-terrorist operation in Karabakh on September 19-20, 2023, has passed away. Ulvi Bagirov had been hospitalized since then.

● In the Agdam district (Karabakh), an excavator detonated a mine. There were no casualties, but the machinery was damaged.

● The Kyrgyz authorities handed over five detainees to Azerbaijan, accused of plotting to assassinate officials.

● A Azerbaijani television channel has been registered in Russia. “Livetvaz” will convey information about Azerbaijani culture and history to the Russian audience, announced the channel’s director, Rafik Aliyev.

● Lazare Grigoriadis (pictured), an activist arrested during protests in March last year against attempts to pass a foreign agents law, stated, “I would advise young people never to back down from anything, keep moving forward, and everything will be fine. You may have setbacks for a while, but they are temporary. Let’s keep moving forward and strive to become better. Let’s change reality. The most important thing, in my opinion, that we should focus on this year — we need to change the government. We need to focus on the elections [to parliament in October].”

● Non-governmental organizations, in a joint statement, called on leaders of the ruling “Georgian Dream” party, who have worked for years in organizations funded by the United States and the European Union, to explain whether someone instructed them to act in the interests of a foreign state. This exact wording is present in the foreign agents bill initiated by the ruling party in parliament.

● UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor stated, “I am deeply concerned about the reintroduction of the foreign agents law into the Georgian parliament, despite assurances during my visit that this would not happen. I emphasized in my report the harm caused by this bill and will continue to closely monitor developments.”

● As a result of an explosion at the Battleground store on Bochorma Street in Tbilisi, an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and a store worker were killed, and at least two police officers were injured. The cause of the explosion is being investigated, with suspicions of negligence in storing explosive materials.

● Charges have been brought against four residents of Samtredia (Western Georgia) in connection with a high-profile murder. Initially, it was reported that a 28-year-old woman killed her husband under aggravating circumstances. However, it has now emerged that she took the blame for the murder to protect her two brothers and a cousin. They killed her husband during a family dispute. She is charged with providing false testimony to the investigation, while the other three are charged with murder with particular cruelty under aggravating circumstances.

Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from April 1-5, 2024