Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from July 22-26, 2024

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze reiterated the threat of criminal prosecution against the opposition, a statement previously made by oligarch and honorary chairman of the ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili. “After the parliamentary elections in October, the entire United National Movement party (founded by Mikheil Saakashvili) will be prosecuted. We are talking about putting agents on trial, which could lead to individual convictions. The public knows how many crimes this party has committed,” said Kobakhidze. He also called the opposition a “criminal political force.”

● Former US Congressman Adam Kinzinger stated, “The GeorgianDream party is corrupt and in bed with Russia. Georgians have a chance to right that ship. If they don’t, I worry Georgia will be lost. Crush the Georgian Dream party, Georgia . Take back your country from the corrupt Ivanishvilli. The US Govt needs to sanction him.”

● Justice Minister Rati Bregadze did not rule out that oligarch, honorary chairman, and founder of the ruling party Bidzina Ivanishvili might run for president after the parliamentary elections in October. “He would be the best president in Georgia’s history,” said the minister. The current president of Georgia is the last to be elected by popular vote. The next president will be chosen by a special commission of 300 electors, including deputies and regional representatives.

● Secretary of the ruling party Mamuka Mdinaradze called the proposal to open additional polling stations for Georgian citizens living abroad a “utopia.” “It’s impossible,” he told journalists.

● Member of the Lelo party, MP Ana Natsvlishvili, acted as a guarantor for young activists Saba Meparishvili and Omar Okriashvili, who were arrested during protests in Tbilisi against the “foreign agents” law. They are accused of damaging the fence of the parliament building. “This is an unprecedentedly unfair case against these citizens,” said Natsvlishvili.

● The public defender urged the management of Evolution Georgia to steadfastly protect the labor rights of their employees. Around five thousand people working in this online casino network have been on strike for several weeks. The ombudsman learned that the company stopped health insurance for those participating in the strike, which was provided under their employment contracts. The public defender noted that among the strikers are pregnant women, cancer patients, and people with other chronic illnesses for whom insurance is particularly important. More on the strike can be found here

● In the mountains of Svaneti, in the Mestia and Lentekhi areas, two missing young people are being searched for. The emergency services reported that a message requesting rescue was sent to the 112 number on July 24.

● The government plans to allocate 250,000 lari [approximately $92,000] from the reserve fund “to recognize successful Georgian citizens and promote their professions.” The decree does not specify the criteria for selecting “successful people” or what events will be held to promote their professions.

● Baku warned Yerevan about the “need to refrain from creating a new war zone” in the South Caucasus. “If provocations against Azerbaijan do not stop, self-defense measures will be taken,” the Ministry of Defense stated. Earlier, it was reported that the Armenian Armed Forces attempted a reconnaissance drone flight over Azerbaijani army positions in the Tovuz direction.

● Polad Bulbuloglu is running in Azerbaijan’s parliamentary elections. The elections will be held on September 1. Since 2006, Bulbuloglu has been Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Russia.

● An Al-Qaeda militant was accidentally caught in Moscow. He will soon be extradited to Azerbaijan. Police spotted the suspicious man in a crowd and asked for his documents, discovering that Elkhan Ibrahimov was wanted by Interpol. In Baku, he is accused of organizing a criminal community and creating armed groups, reported the Russian publication Izvestia.

● Azerbaijan handed over wanted Hajimuhammed Bekkanov, accused of counterfeiting money, to Turkmenistan. The 30-year-old Bekkanov was detained in Baku back in March and was transferred to Turkmenistan today.

● Archer Yaylagul Ramazanova became the first Azerbaijani athlete to compete in the Paris Olympics, which began today. She scored 647 points. In the 1/32 finals, the Azerbaijani archer will face China’s Qi Xuan.

● Azerbaijani mountaineer Israfil Ashurly has conquered his thirteenth peak, Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters). This is his eighth peak over 8,000 meters, but his goal is to climb all 14 existing ones. Ashurly did not use supplemental oxygen during the ascent.

● Yerevan is preparing a response to the latest, tenth package of proposals from Baku on the draft peace treaty, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

● U.S. State Department Advisor on the South Caucasus, Louis Bono, arrived in Yerevan. He met with the Secretary of the Armenian Security Council. It was reported that they discussed the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the overall situation in the region.

● Fourteen cases of violence against journalists were recorded from April to June, according to the head of the Committee for the Protection of Freedom of Speech in Armenia, Ashot Melikyan. He said this is an unprecedented number of such incidents since the “Velvet Revolution” of 2018.

● The Food Safety Inspection Body refuted a statement by opposition MP Garnik Danielyan that the Armenian authorities have been obstructing exports to Russia for a week. The agency called this disinformation, stating that only products contaminated with harmful microorganisms are being banned from export.

● President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Araik Harutyunyan visited the “House of Armenia,” which opened in Paris for the duration of the 2024 Olympics, and met with 15 athletes representing the country. Special pins in the shape of an apricot, symbolizing Armenia’s participation in the games, were prepared for the Olympics.

● Armenia is experiencing a shortage of bracelets for house arrest and administrative supervision. The government decided to purchase 200 more electronic bracelets from Poland to monitor compliance with house arrest and administrative supervision.

● Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Juri Kim, on the narratives of the ruling party in Georgia: “When you claim that the United States wants to open up a second front in Georgia, that is fake news! .. When you claim that the American ambassador, the personal representative of the American President, is somehow run with rogue operation to implement a coup against the elected government of a friendly country like Georgia, again, fake news! You can’t claim that you represent your people and you want a future in Europe and a strong relationship with the United States, and then do things that your people and your friends have pointed out to you are exactly what Russia does and what Russia wants. This is nuts, especially when 20% of the country is occupied by Russia.”

● The U.S. Congress held hearings on Georgia and Moldova, stating that “the Georgian government is radically changing the country’s democratic trajectory,” including “running a campaign of disinformation and smearing its Western partners.” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Joshua Huck also provided clear arguments on how the “foreign agents” law in Georgia fundamentally differs from legislation in Western countries that limit dangerous foreign influence. Read more here

● The State Security Service officially announced an investigation into the preparation of a terrorist act in the country and a conspiracy to overthrow the government. The organizers were named as “former high-ranking Georgian officials and law enforcement officers from the previous government [during the presidency of Mikheil Saakashvili] currently in Ukraine.” Read more here

● On July 30, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold hearings on the future of Europe, during which Georgia will be discussed. The hearings were initiated by Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

● U.S. State Department representative Matthew Miller reaffirmed that, according to the law, Washington will not name which Georgian government officials are under sanctions announced about a month ago.

● The Institute for Democracy Research (DRI) is urging the public to take control of the cases of two young activists, 23-year-old Saba Meparishvili and 19-year-old Omar Okribelashvili. Both were arrested during protests in May against the “foreign agents” law for damaging a fence worth 400 GEL (about $150). The court has again kept them under arrest. The next court session is scheduled for 4:00 PM on July 30.

● U.S. citizen Ted Jonas, who was beaten by Georgian special forces during protests against the “foreign agents” law, was fined 2,000 GEL (approximately $730) by the court.

● The party “For Georgia” is creating an “Election Protection Group” to “identify cases of fraud and protect voters’ voices.”

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze: “Compared to 2012, more people have the opportunity to buy a car – the economy is developing.”

Photo JAMnews/David Pipia

● Armenia has become the largest buyer of Indian weapons, according to the economic report from India’s Ministry of Finance to Parliament. The Ministry of Defense of India reports that contracts for the purchase of weapons and military equipment by Yerevan from Delhi in the 2024-2025 fiscal years have reached $600 million.

● The Kremlin hopes that Armenia’s increasing cooperation with the EU will not harm the development of Yerevan’s relations with Moscow, stated Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

● Former mayor of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasyan, along with his wife and sons, has been summoned to the Department for Confiscation of Illegal Property. Ghukasyan is accused of appropriating more than 20 real estate properties.

● A tractor hit a mine in the village of Kirants, near the border with Azerbaijan, in the Tavush region, injuring a local resident. The equipment was being used in border engineering works.

● Kazakhstan has extradited a draft dodger to Armenia; he has been delivered to Yerevan.

● A new diocesan center for the Russian Orthodox Church will be built in Yerevan.

● OSCE observers will arrive in Azerbaijan ahead of the snap parliamentary elections scheduled for September 1, announced CEC head Mazahir Panahov.

● “Baku has always been ready for negotiations with Yerevan in Russia and other venues,” stated Foreign Ministry spokesman Ayhan Hajizade, commenting on Russia’s readiness to organize a meeting and “facilitate peace between Baku and Yerevan.”

● Azerbaijani Colonel Samir Khaziev has been arrested, accused of abuse of office causing severe consequences, according to the country’s military prosecutor. Khaziev faces 3 to 7 years in prison.

● Gunshots were heard on the Iran-Azerbaijan border, injuring border guards. Two men attempting to illegally enter Azerbaijan from Iran opened fire when ordered to stop by the military. Two border guards were injured, and the perpetrators fled. A search of the area found about 11 kg of drugs, a rifle, and ammunition.

● Drivers using bike lanes will be fined 100 manats (about $60).

The photo shows the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.

● U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joshua Huck: “2024 is a crucial year for Georgia’s future and democratic progress.”

● Pro-government Georgian media report that the State Security Service is interrogating Georgian veterans who fought in Ukraine regarding a plot to overthrow the government and carry out terrorist attacks against Bidzina Ivanishvili and other high-ranking officials. Read more here

● Georgian authorities have issued warrants for about 300 members of the “Georgian Legion” fighting for Ukraine, most of whom are currently in Ukraine, according to commander Mamuka Mamulashvili speaking to Russian investigative media The Insider.

● Congressman Thomas Kean, chair of the European Subcommittee of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, says that at a rally organized by Georgian authorities on April 29 in support of the “foreign agents” law, Bidzina Ivanishvili threatened those opposing the ruling party. “It was the speech of a ruthless dictator, not a close U.S. partner. He threatened political opponents with brutal revenge.” Ivanishvili also made anti-Western statements and claimed a Western conspiracy against the Georgian government. Read more here

● A court suspended the Georgian president’s decree appointing her representative to the Justice Council. Lawyers say this contradicts Georgian law. Read more here 

● The “Citizens” party joined a pre-election political bloc with “Lelo,” Anna Dolidze’s party, and Levan Tsutskiridze’s political movement. One of “Lelo’s” leaders, Mamuka Khazaradze, posted a joint photo with “Citizens” leader Aleko Elisashvili on Facebook, captioned “Strong (together) for Georgia.” Previously, these two leaders had disagreements.

● The organization Emguide was established to help tens of thousands of Georgian emigrants worldwide participate in the parliamentary elections on October 26. Their website https://emguide.ge/ assists with consular registration and can organize travel to polling stations if needed. Emguide emphasizes that it supports no political party and aims to help Georgian emigrants fulfill their civic duty.

● The management of the online casino “Evolution Georgia” is firing employees involved in offensive chats that were made public via screenshots on social media, leading to a mass strike involving up to 5,000 employees. The published excerpts showed managers using obscene language and mocking other employees. “Evolution Georgia” is actively working to reinforce its values and standards within the company. More on the strike here

● The court fined David Katsarava, leader of the “Anti-Occupation Movement,” 2,000 lari (approximately $700) and revoked his right to carry weapons for two years. Katsarava was detained and brutally beaten by special forces during protests against the “foreign agents” law in Tbilisi in May. He faced charges of hooliganism and insulting and disobeying police officers, with punishment only for the latter.

● A court ordered the Georgian Interior Ministry to pay 50,000 lari (approximately $18,500) in compensation to a protester injured during the brutal dispersal of an anti-Russian rally in Tbilisi on June 20, 2019, which turned into an anti-government protest. The victim was hit in the eye by a rubber bullet and regained only partial vision after multiple surgeries. The court also mandated a lifelong monthly payment of 1,440 lari (approximately $530) to the victim. The Young Lawyers’ Association, which represented the victim, shared this information. More details about the protests, known in history as the “Gavrilov Night,” can be found here

● France is interested in nuclear energy in Armenia. This was discussed during a meeting between representatives of the French company Framatome, which develops and manufactures equipment for nuclear power plants, and Armenia’s National Security Secretary Armen Grigoryan.

● The Armenian-American military exercises Eagle Partner 2024 (pictured) conclude today. The main focus of the exercises was the training of Armenian peacekeepers. Yesterday, U.S. Ambassador Kristina Kvien and three American generals – James Kriesel, Anthony Mohatt, and Andrew Saslav – assessed the progress. Read more here

● Former Armenian Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan and his family members have been summoned to the Office for the Confiscation of Illegally Acquired Property at the General Prosecutor’s Office to review investigation materials, according to azdarar.am. The specific assets of the former prosecutor general that may be confiscated have not been disclosed.

● The Sevan EV Rally took place with 17 electric vehicles participating. Participants completed a 212 km circuit around the lake. French actor Sami Naceri, known for his leading role as Daniel in the “Taxi” film series, was a special guest and kicked off the rally, which organizers plan to make an annual event.

● A three-year-old child fell from a third-floor window in a village near Lake Sevan but landed on the lower balcony, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The mother jumped after the child and sustained minor bruises. The child was taken to a children’s hospital in Yerevan with injuries.

● The most discussed topic on social media is the attack by renowned singer, People’s Artist Agadadash Agaev, on a security guard at a hospital in Baku. The singer threw an axe at the guard, leading to a fight. Both have been charged, according to the police.

● President Ilham Aliyev approved a law banning marriages between blood relatives in Azerbaijan, specifically between first cousins. More details and analysis here

● A fine of 1,000 manats (about $600) will now be imposed for entering a religious marriage with a minor. This change has been added to the administrative offenses code, with significant fines also for venues hosting such weddings.

● Talish activist Igbal Abilov has been arrested on charges of treason and inciting ethnic hatred. He had returned to Azerbaijan from Belarus, where he lives, to attend a wedding.

● An Azerbaijani company will modernize three substations in Uzbekistan, located in the Fergana, Khorezm, and Tashkent regions.

● Football club Qarabag won 2-0 against Gibraltar’s Lincoln in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. The return match will be held next week in Baku.

● The international music festival Dream Fest has opened on the Caspian coast in Baku, organized by well-known businessman Emin Agalarov, who resides in Moscow.

● Baku strongly condemned the European Union’s decision to provide military aid to Armenia. “This is clearly biased and reflects a policy of creating dividing lines in the region. The EU should stop actions that contribute to armament and militarization in the region and understand that there is no alternative to peace and cooperation. Otherwise, the EU will be responsible for any potential destabilizing provocations by Armenia,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada.

● Out of 1,048 parliamentary candidates, the CEC approved 700. The early parliamentary elections will take place on September 1. More on the issues faced by candidates in Azerbaijan

● Foreigners obtaining electronic visas to Azerbaijan no longer need to provide information on whether they visited Karabakh during the occupation years.

● ICRC staff visited Armenian citizens detained in Baku who were apprehended in Karabakh, allowing them to contact their families.

● Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, and Romania will create an international transport route “Caspian-Black Sea.” A quadrilateral agreement will be signed this year in Bucharest, according to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.

● Over 24,000 Azerbaijani citizens visited Russia in 2023. Of these, 28% came for work, while the rest traveled for personal reasons, according to Rosstat.

● Azerbaijani athletes were sent off to the Summer Olympic Games (pictured). Forty-eight Azerbaijani athletes will compete in 15 sports. The competitions begin in Paris on July 26.

● Former diplomat Emin Ibrahimov was arrested in Baku. He is suspected of hooliganism (stabbing). Ibrahimov previously worked at Azerbaijan’s embassy in the USA and recently made sharp criticisms of the Azerbaijani authorities on social media.

● In Baku, police eliminated a criminal who had taken a child hostage. Previously convicted H. Akhmedov was wanted by authorities. When law enforcement attempted to arrest him, he resisted, took a child, and threatened to kill them. The police had to use firearms, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

● In Istanbul, after nine years, Azerbaijani citizen Farid Gurbanov was arrested. He had been convicted of the high-profile murder of a businessman in Tbilisi in March 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment. It was established that Gurbanov acted together with Russian Oleg Doev. Both managed to leave Georgia through the Turkish border.

● Thirty-two opposition MPs will file a joint lawsuit in the Constitutional Court demanding the repeal of the “foreign agents” law. “The fight is always meaningful. Voters and international partners will see if the court can be independent. Life doesn’t begin and end today. We will get this law repealed one way or another,” said Roman Gotsiridze of the parliamentary group “Eurooptimists.” Previously, the president and 32 NGOs filed similar lawsuits in the Constitutional Court. Read more here

● Andrey Klimov, a member of Russia’s Federal Council, said, “Russia can help the ruling party in Georgia prevent a coup,” citing Syria as an example where “Moscow provided military assistance to Bashar al-Assad’s regime during the civil war.” Klimov also repeated the false claim that “the terrorist group ISIS was created by the USA.”

● US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller on possible Russian interference in Georgia’s parliamentary elections in October: “We’ve seen a number of Russian not just attempts, but we’ve seen outright Russian interference in elections all throughout the region and all throughout the world, and we are always vigilant watching those.” He added:”As you have heard us say on a number of occasions it is important that Georgian people and Georgian people alone decide the future of their country.”

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze: “The global war party has full and principled influence over the leadership of the USA and the EU; these countries need de-oligarchization.”

● Another Georgian fighter, Konstantin Jgamaia, who fought on the side of Ukraine, has been summoned for questioning by the state security service. Preliminary information suggests he, along with several other Georgian fighters, is being accused of involvement in terrorism and an attempted coup in Georgia. Read more here

● Two activists, 19-year-old Omar Okribelashvili and 23-year-old Saba Meparishvili, remain under arrest. They are accused of damaging a fence at the parliament during protests against the “foreign agents” law. The judge denied the lawyers’ request to release them on bail until the trial.

● A court partially acquitted Tbilisi resident Luka Kintsurashvili, who was unlawfully detained by plainclothes police officers on July 9. The ruling found no disobedience, but Kintsurashvili received a warning for verbally insulting one of the officers during the arrest.

● 69% of respondents consider Russia the main enemy of Georgia, 4% named the USA, 2% named Turkey, and 1% named Armenia, according to a study by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC-Georgia). Read more here

● The European Union is allocating 10 million euros to Armenia to enhance the army’s logistical capabilities and improve civilian protection. This is the first time the EU is providing such assistance to Armenia, according to the EU Council.

● EU foreign ministers have approved the start of negotiations with Armenia on visa regime liberalization. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan commented on the decision, calling it “an important milestone and deepening partnership.”

●  ICRC staff visited the detained leaders of the former unrecognized NKR in Baku. Azerbaijani media reports that the detainees were able to contact their families.

● The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra is the first in the region to release an album under the internationally renowned label Deutsche Grammophon, said the orchestra’s director, Sarkis Balbabyan.

● The website of the Constitutional Court reports that only the President’s lawsuit against the Parliament, as the creator of the “foreign agent” law, which violates the Constitution, has been registered. However, 122 non-governmental and media organizations have already filed their own lawsuits. These cases will also be sent to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

● Giorgi Vashadze, leader of the opposition party “Strategy Agmashenebeli,” has called for the parties “For Georgia” (led by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia) and “Lelo” to unite. “There is still time for this, and it is important for our common goal – victory in the parliamentary elections in October,” said Vashadze.

● Opposition Member of Parliament Teona Akubardia stated: “There are calls in Europe to revoke Georgia’s candidate status for EU membership. This could become a reality if the parliamentary elections in October are not free and fair and if the ruling party does not heed the voice of the people.”

●  “China is interested in the project to build a new international airport in Vaziani, a suburb of Tbilisi,” said China’s Ambassador to Georgia, Zhou Jian, in an interview with the First Channel. The Georgian government approved this project in the spring, which is designed to accommodate a minimum of 19 million passengers. It was mentioned that “Georgia will become an ‘aviation hub’ in the Caucasus.”

● A police officer has been sentenced to preliminary detention in connection with the tragedy in Tbilisi on July 19. According to available information, a patrol car was chasing a motorcyclist and blocked the road to stop him. The motorcycle collided with a vehicle, and the 19-year-old biker died at the scene.

● The “Caucasus Barometer-2024” survey revealed that 69% of respondents in Georgia consider Russia their main enemy, while 48% fully support Georgia’s accession to the EU.

? The building of the Constitutional Court in Tbilisi

● Today Azerbaijan celebrates the 149th anniversary of the national press. On July 22, 1875, Hasanbek Zardabi published the first issue of the newspaper Əkinçi (“Plowman”) in Azerbaijan.

● “Baku is deeply disappointed with the attitude of the current American administration towards Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s interests in the South Caucasus must be respected – if anyone wants to ignore them, it will be a mistake,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a global media forum in Shusha. Read more about Aliyev’s statements today in JAMnews.

● “Azerbaijan invited Armenia to the COP29 climate summit,” said Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev.

● “There should be no territorial claims against Azerbaijan in the Armenian constitution. It must be changed.
We understand that the constitution is an internal matter of each country, but it should not contain territorial claims against another country,” noted Hikmet Hajiyev.

● The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan reported shelling by the Armenian armed forces of positions in the direction of Kelbajar. The fire broke out on Saturday around 10:10 p.m., the department said. “This is unacceptable – if the Armenian side wants progress on the peace agreement, it must avoid provocations,” Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov commented on this information.

● A gang that stole large sums from citizens’ bank accounts was detained in Azerbaijan. It was established that Mehman Asadov received information about citizens’ bank cards in various ways and transferred large sums from their accounts to the cards of Javanshir Rustamzade and Novruz Gulami.

● A Malaysia Airlines plane made an emergency landing at Baku airport. One of the passengers on the London-Kuala Lumpur flight suffered a heart attack.

● This cat lives at the Yukhari Gevkhar-Aga mosque in Shusha. I went out to meet the participants of the global media forum.

● Baku sent Yerevan an invitation to the COP29 climate summit, said Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev. The Armenian Foreign Ministry has not yet responded.

● In Kapan, on the territory of the copper-molybdenum plant, next to the training ground of the Armenian Ministry of Defense, an explosion occurred, there was a fatality. According to information that has not yet been officially confirmed, the plant’s watchman died.

● The Armenian U20 youth basketball team beat the Azerbaijani national team with a score of 71-61 in Division B of the M20 European Championship

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from July 15-19, 2024