Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 25-29 August, 2025

● In Baku, photojournalist Ahmed Mukhtar (pictured below) was detained in connection with the “Meydan TV case”; preliminary detention has been set at 40 days. Mukhtar became the 12th person arrested in the “Meydan TV case.”

● Yesterday, the investigation into the “Meydan TV case” was completed. New criminal charges have been brought against the accused: illegal entrepreneurship with large income, laundering of criminally obtained property, smuggling by an organized group, tax evasion, forgery of documents, and others. In total, charges were brought under 8 articles of the criminal code. The arrested journalists do not plead guilty and state that they are being persecuted for publishing criticism of the authorities.

On August 15, the defendants issued a statement from prison declaring that “the authorities are preparing a new falsification.” The statement read: “We appeal to the authorities! There is no element of crime in our actions. Journalism is not a crime!”

• • Arrested in the “Meydan TV case” were editorial staff: Ramin Deko (Jabrailzade), Aynur Ganbarova (Elgyunesh), Aysel Umudova, Aytaj Ahmedova (Tapdyg), Hayala Agaeva, and Natig Javadli. They were detained on December 6, 2024.
• • On the same day, the deputy director of the Baku School of Journalism, Ulvi Tahirow, was detained on the same case, although he has no connection to Meydan TV.
• • On February 5, the editor-in-chief of argument.az and journalist collaborating with Meydan TV, Shamshad Agayev (Aga), was detained.
• • On February 20, journalist Nurlan Libre (Gahramanli) was arrested.
• • On February 28, journalist Fatima Movlamli was detained.
• • On the night of May 7, Ulviya Ali was detained.

Searches were conducted in the homes of all the arrested journalists, and their phones, computers, and other personal belongings were confiscated. International human rights organizations and Western leaders call the arrested journalists political prisoners and urge the Azerbaijani authorities to release them.

● As a result of Russian strikes on Kyiv, the Embassy of Azerbaijan was damaged. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote about this on social media. The Turkish enterprise, the European Union Representation, the British Council, as well as residential neighborhoods were also damaged. It is reported that the number of fatalities has already reached 23 people.

● The ambassadors of Azerbaijan and the U.S. in Israel discussed new prospects for the South Caucasus, created in the context of the agreements reached at the historic Washington meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and U.S. President Donald Trump. No details have been reported.

● The trial continued against a group of former leaders of the former unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). They are accused of war crimes, terrorism, attempts to overthrow state power, and other serious crimes. According to the state agency AZERTAC, testimony from former “NKR president” (1997–2007) Arkady Ghukasyan was heard, and related documents were studied.

• • Ghukasyan stated that weapons and ammunition were supplied to the region exclusively by the Armenian Ministry of Defense, and the “defense ministry” of the self-proclaimed regime effectively acted as part of Armenia’s Ministry of Defense.
• • Araik Harutyunyan (who was “NKR president” in 2020–2023) said during the preliminary investigation that during the first Karabakh war in the early 1990s and afterwards, Armenian armed forces were deployed to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
• • Harutyunyan also testified that during the April 2016 clashes, military units subordinated to and financed by Armenia fought against the Azerbaijani armed forces. “Support with weapons, ammunition, military equipment, and manpower was provided by Armenia,” Harutyunyan said.
• • Harutyunyan added that orders to launch ballistic missiles at populated areas and civilian targets in the Terter and Barda districts, the cities of Ganja and Mingachevir, as well as in Goranboy, Beylagan, and other districts, even toward the Absheron Peninsula where Baku is located, were issued from Armenia.
• • He also commented that the text of his well-known October 4, 2020 publication (during the second Karabakh war) was written by the Armenian Chief of General Staff Onik Gasparyan and handed to him for release. The text stated: “By my order today, the defense army launched several missile strikes to neutralize military facilities located in Ganja. At this moment, I have ordered the shelling to stop in order to avoid innocent civilian casualties. If the enemy does not draw the proper conclusions, we will continue to deliver proportional and powerful strikes, disorganizing and destroying the enemy’s army and rear.”
• • Testimony from defendant Bako Sahakyan (who was “NKR president” in 2007–2020) given during the preliminary investigation was also read out. He said that during the first Karabakh war all combat operations were led by Serzh Sargsyan, Vazgen Sargsyan, and Vazgen Manukyan, who successively served as Armenia’s defense ministers. General leadership at that time was exercised by the chairman of the “state defense committee,” Robert Kocharyan (later President of Armenia), and then-President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

The trial will continue on August 29.

● Representatives of the public association “Families of Missing Persons of Karabakh” held a meeting in Geneva with the Secretariat of the UN Human Rights Office’s Committee on Enforced Disappearances. It was reported that, for the first time, families of those who went missing from Azerbaijan during the first Karabakh war in the early 1990s and in subsequent years, including during the second Karabakh war in 2020, were received at the UN. According to official information, “as a result of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, 3,990 citizens went missing, of whom 6 disappeared during the 44-day war in 2020. Among the missing are 71 children, 284 women, and 316 elderly people.” The Azerbaijani public association appealed to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to intensify efforts to determine the fate of the missing Azerbaijani citizens and to demand that Armenia provide the relevant information.

● During a briefing, Armenian journalists asked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan whether he, like the President of Azerbaijan, had received joint photographs with Donald Trump as a gift. Earlier, Ilham Aliyev had published in his microblog on social network X photographs received from the U.S. President with the inscription: “Ilham, you are a great leader.” Pashinyan replied that he too had received from Trump photographs taken in Washington with an identical inscription.

After the briefing, he published a video on social media, showed the photographs, and commented: “Since these photographs were mentioned during the briefing, and there might be questions as to why they are not being published if they really exist, I thought it was necessary to publish them. And I am grateful to President Trump for such honorary photographs and the inscription.”

● Since last week, Pashinyan has introduced a new format of communication with journalists — weekly briefings lasting 60 minutes. This week he again answered questions about the Washington agreements reached with the President of Azerbaijan under Trump’s mediation. After the August 8 meeting, Armenian authorities declared that peace had come. In this regard, journalists quoted statements from Azerbaijan with demands toward Armenia, in particular regarding changes to the constitution. They emphasized that this constitutes a violation of the already initialed peace agreement, which states that interference in the internal affairs of the other side is unacceptable. They asked the Prime Minister how peace could be established if Baku continues to claim that the peace agreement will not be signed until all demands are met.

“When we declare that peace has been established, we are not saying that the parties have no more questions to each other. That never happens, even in relations with countries with which we never had conflict. Peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And it needs institutionalization. Of course, there is no doubt that I and our government will resolutely and consistently move along the path of institutionalizing peace. We will bring our ship into a peaceful harbor. We have already done so. Now it is necessary for the docks to be more reliable, more stable, and eventually built. Peace is already irreversible,” Pashinyan replied.

● The Armenian Prime Minister does not rule out Armenia’s withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), led by Russia. “This is not a new topic. It began to be discussed after the Armenian Parliament passed a bill to start the EU membership process. We understand that simultaneous membership in the EU and the EAEU is impossible. When the moment comes when a choice becomes inevitable, we will make the appropriate decision. If we state this at the official level, it means an exit from the EAEU is possible. This is also connected with the will of our people, current situations and negotiation processes, analysis of circumstances, opportunities and alternatives, and our prospects,” he said.

● Armenia’s opposition, represented by former presidents (considered pro-Russian), strongly criticizes the Washington agreements and continues to call the signed documents a “capitulation.” On this matter, Pashinyan said: “When I travel through the regions and communicate with people, the main reproach I hear is that (former presidents) Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan still remain in Armenia’s political life. I think that in the upcoming [2026] elections the people will have the opportunity to finally cut off the political tongues of both Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan. And this must happen in a political, civilized way.” Read more here

● Today in Tehran, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan will hold working meetings with the leadership of Iran, though it has not yet been disclosed with whom exactly. It is known that Grigoryan was invited to Tehran by Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani. Iran has expressed concern over the unblocking of regional communications involving the U.S., which Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed upon in Washington. The Armenian authorities have already provided their Iranian partners with details of this project, which largely dispelled their concerns. In particular, they assured that it will be implemented while preserving the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the participants and “does not imply the presence of the U.S. in the region’s security sphere.” However, active negotiations — in the form of personal meetings and telephone conversations between the two governments — are continuing.

● Armenia’s Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex and Museum-Institute to inspect ongoing renovation work (pictured below). When major renovations began, some media outlets speculated that the authorities intended to close the memorial, suggesting it was another “concession to Turkey, which denies the genocide.” The ministry denied these assumptions, stating that the renovation “includes updating the inclined pylons of the Temple of Eternity and repairing the administrative building.” The construction work is being overseen by architect Sashur Kalashyan, co-author of the memorial complex and museum building project.

● Starting September 1, all public schools in the capital will begin classes at 8:15 a.m. “The goal of this initiative is to prevent children from being late to school due to traffic jams, and also to slightly ease traffic congestion during morning hours,” said Hayk Kostanyan, spokesman for the mayor of Yerevan.

● More than 60 NGOs and media outlets in Georgia declared solidarity with seven organizations whose bank accounts were frozen by the Prosecutor’s Office. “These Russia-style punitive measures against Georgian NGOs confirm that the Ivanishvili government’s interest is the complete destruction of alternative opinion and pro-European groups in Georgia. All this is happening at a time when the Ivanishvili government was given a specific deadline to inform the EU whether it intends to preserve visa-free travel for the Georgian people. With such actions, the Ivanishvili government once again confirms to the EU that keeping visa-free travel for Georgia is not in its interests,” was stated at a joint briefing.

Authorities announced that the accounts were frozen as part of an investigation into “mobilization of financial resources for attempts at sabotage, aiding hostile activities of foreign organizations, and actions against the foundations of Georgia’s national security and constitutional order.”

● UK Minister of State for Europe, North America, and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty was in Georgia in transit but did not meet with leaders of the “Georgian Dream” party.

● Economy Minister from “Georgian Dream” Mariam Kvrivishvili met with U.S. Acting Ambassador to Georgia Alan Purcell. According to the ministry’s press service, the meeting highlighted Georgia’s interest in restoring relations with the U.S. and strategic cooperation. According to the U.S. Embassy, the discussions focused on economic ties and the investment climate for American companies in Georgia.

● Protest participant Tornike Toshkhua, who is under arrest, has been on hunger strike in prison for 12 days (pictured below). He demands a fair investigation and re-examination of witnesses. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses Toshkhua and another detainee, Mindia Shervashidze, of assaulting citizen Beku Gotsiridze. Activists say Gotsiridze is a supporter of the “Georgian Dream” party and that he organized a provocation near parliament. According to them, he insulted protesters, which led to a clash, and a knife was also found on him.

● U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen commented on the freezing of NGO accounts: “Providing legal aid to protesters detained by the ‘Georgian Dream’ government is not a crime. It is also not ‘sabotage against the state.’ I continue to support the Georgian people and civil society representatives who are trying to preserve democracy in Georgia.”

● The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported the arrest of 12 Georgian and Chinese citizens accused of facilitating prostitution and providing premises for prostitution. Among them is singer Khatia Tsereteli. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the accused opened Chinese massage parlors in Tbilisi as a cover for prostitution. They face charges that carry a prison sentence of up to 4 years. The accused are not cooperating with the investigation and remain silent.

● In the first round of Group C at EuroBasket 2025, Georgia’s national basketball team faced defending European champions Spain and won 83–69. The match took place in Limassol, Cyprus. Georgia’s next game will be on August 30 against Italy, starting at 16:00 Tbilisi time.

● “There is now peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” said Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in an interview with Public Television. The country continues to discuss the Washington meeting between Pashinyan and Aliyev, mediated by Trump. The foreign minister answered questions that concern the public, as various political forces comment on the outcome of the U.S. talks differently from the way the authorities present them.

In particular, Mirzoyan explained why the peace agreement has been initialed but not signed, even though peace has already been established. He said that “there are still questions, much remains to be done,” but emphasized that on August 8 in the U.S., besides the signing of documents, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan made statements on the establishment of peace, and thanks to the broadcast of the press conference, millions of people heard them. “There will be further steps, there will be a process, but I believe the subsequent stages of signing and ratification are unlikely to surpass the significance of this preliminary agreement,” the minister said.

● The initialed agreement and the trilateral declaration signed by the leaders of Armenia, the U.S., and Azerbaijan “are based on the mutual benefit of the two countries,” assured the foreign minister. That is, there are no provisions positive for one country and negative for the other.

● Answering a question on unblocking regional communications, Mirzoyan explained: “Azerbaijan will gain access to our infrastructure, and we, naturally, to theirs. For this, it is necessary to carry out border demarcation, place the Armenian flag on one side, the Azerbaijani flag on the other, build border checkpoints, and establish appropriate customs services. All this must be done on the principle of reciprocity.”

● As for rumors that Armenia intends to amend its constitution under Azerbaijan’s demands, the foreign minister assured that this issue was not discussed in Washington: “And we have no obligations to any third party regarding amending our constitution.” He concluded the interview by noting that, except for the older generation, most of Armenia’s population has never lived in peace and does not know what it is: “But this is a rare case when our destiny is in our own hands.”

● According to Foreign Policy magazine, the U.S. administration expects that the final peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia may be signed and ratified by the end of 2026. “The agreements reached in Washington on August 8 became one of the largest attempts by the United States to enter the post-Soviet space. They disprove the opinion that the Trump administration seeks to concede a sphere of influence to the Kremlin,” the article said.

● A new contingent of Armenia’s peacekeeping unit has already started its mission in Kosovo. Armenia has been part of NATO peacekeeping forces since 2004. “The U.S. Embassy in Armenia is proud to support Armenia’s participation in the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, which aligns with our shared goals of strengthening alliances and advancing NATO initiatives. Armenia remains the largest non-NATO country represented in Kosovo, surpassing several NATO and EU member states. This consistent approach underscores Armenia’s role as a reliable partner in regional security operations,” said the U.S. Embassy press release.

● The State Revenue Committee uncovered undeclared shadow turnover of 8.6 billion drams ($22.5 million). The offender was one of the sports complexes. The committee received information that its employees were receiving most of their salaries in cash, which was not reflected in tax reports. The Investigative Committee and the Revenue Committee carried out joint inspections. It was also revealed that for several years the company did not provide receipts to clients. As a result, its real turnover was hidden from tax authorities, and about 2.3 billion drams (over $6 million) in taxes were not paid to the state budget. A criminal case has been launched, and one member of the criminal group has been charged. Part of the damage to the state has already been compensated.

● Defense Minister Suren Papikyan met with reservists participating in 25-day training camps in the Lori and Ararat regions. “He observed the exercises, spoke with participants, and answered their questions. The minister thanked the responsible structures for properly organizing the camps and the reservists for their readiness and service,” the defense ministry said.

● Armenian media report that a 24-year-old resident of Armenia, Sergey Akopyan, drowned in the resort town of Kobuleti, Georgia. He and his fiancée decided to swim during heavy waves. Only the girl was rescued. The body of the drowned man has already been taken to Armenia, to the village of Garni, where he lived.

● Armenia is opening its first International School of Hospitality and Gastronomy, Apicius Armenia. Project director Katya Bredikhina said it will be the first center of academic and professional education in this field in the region. It will operate in the city of Dilijan starting in September, in partnership with one of Europe’s most prestigious professional schools — Apicius International School of Hospitality in Florence.

● President Ilham Aliyev gave an extensive interview to Al Arabiya TV. He spoke very harshly about Russia, described the ratification in Washington of a peace agreement with Armenia as “the end of a conflict lasting more than 30 years,” and called relations with Iran “friendly and constructive.” Read more here

● Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev: “Our desire is the swift signing of a peace agreement with Armenia. There were two obstacles. One has been practically resolved — the final decision on the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group is expected on September 1, after the foreign ministers of the two countries sent a joint appeal to the OSCE Chair-in-Office. The signing will take place shortly after Armenia removes the second obstacle — amending its Constitution to eliminate claims to Azerbaijani territories. At present, there is no official information on when this might happen, and Armenia has put forward no initiatives. We are waiting.”

● The signing in Washington of a Memorandum of Understanding and the creation of a strategic working group to prepare a Strategic Partnership Charter between Azerbaijan and the United States marked the beginning of a new stage of bilateral cooperation and will strengthen economic ties between the two countries, the U.S. Embassy in Baku stated.

● A visit of a U.S. business delegation to Azerbaijan is planned for September 7–9.

● “The South Caucasus is no longer a scene of Russia’s unilateral dominance. The U.S.-Azerbaijan-Armenia summit in Washington showed that other actors are able to influence processes in the region. For decades, no peace agreement or major infrastructure project could be imagined here without Moscow’s participation. But this year, for the first time in modern history, this was openly challenged by Azerbaijan,” writes South Caucasus and Eurasia political analyst Simona Scotti in Commonspace.

She notes: “Cracks in Baku-Moscow relations began to appear at the end of 2024, after an Azerbaijani airline AZAL passenger plane was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system. Baku’s response was tough: Russian cultural institutions were closed, local media became sharply critical of Moscow. Since then, the spiral of mistrust has deepened. Azerbaijan blamed Russian hackers for February’s cyberattacks on private websites, a member of Azerbaijan’s parliament was denied entry to Russia without warning or explanation, and President Aliyev skipped the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory over Fascism in Moscow in May. Russian authorities killed two Azerbaijani citizens in late June — Baku responded with arrests and deportations of Russian citizens. Russian media began discussing possible military pressure on Azerbaijan. Moscow tried to strengthen its ties with Armenia, but even there its influence weakened.”

“The meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan, organized by Donald Trump, brought a number of breakthroughs: Baku and Yerevan initialed a peace agreement, reportedly to be signed after Armenia amends its constitution; both sides called for the dissolution of the defunct OSCE Minsk Group; and the long-disputed corridor from Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan autonomy through Armenian territory was finally given the green light. The corridor, once expected to be launched under Russian oversight, will now operate under the control of an American company and has even been named the ‘Trump Route.’ In short, Washington has secured a formal role in matters that Russia once considered its exclusive domain.”

“However, Moscow still retains a decisive lever of influence in the region. What has changed is that Russia’s role is no longer taken for granted. Essentially, it is not so much about Russia’s departure as about diversifying partnerships in the region. The South Caucasus is no longer a stage for a single power.”

● The Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the 28th anniversary of the massacre of Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian militants in the village of Balligaya, Goranboy district. “Twenty-four people were brutally killed, including a 93-year-old woman and six young children, one of them a six-month-old infant. The bodies of some victims were burned,” the statement said.

● The medals “For Merit in the Field of Military Cooperation” were posthumously awarded to journalist Maharram Ibrahimov and cameraman Siraj Abishov and presented to their families. The journalists were killed by a landmine in the Kalbajar district in June 2021 while preparing a report on territories liberated from Armenian occupation during the Second Karabakh War.

● Azerbaijan has completed its chairmanship of the international Non-Aligned Movement. However, the country will continue to play an active role in the organization as part of the “troika of chairs.”

● Youth make up 2.3 million people, or 22.5% of Azerbaijan’s population. In 2019, the figure was 29.6%. Over the past 15 years, with few exceptions, the share of youth in the population has steadily declined. This is reflected in a new statistical collection (pictured below). According to the Law “On Youth Policy,” youth in Azerbaijan are considered individuals aged 14 to 29. As of July 1, 2025, the population of Azerbaijan was 10,241,722.

● The football club Qarabag defeated Hungary’s Ferencváros over two playoff matches and advanced to the UEFA Champions League. In the first away match, the Azerbaijani champions won 3:1, while the return match in Baku ended 3:2 in favor of the guests. President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the players and fans on social media.

● The court froze the accounts of seven NGOs in Georgia. It was announced that this was done as part of an investigation into “sabotage, … hostile activity against the constitutional order and the foundations of Georgia’s national security.” The NGOs are accused of “equipping” participants of pro-European protests, which have continued across the country for more than eight months, and of inciting them to violence. Experts see this decision as the start of full-scale repression, more here.

● The non-governmental organizations whose accounts were frozen issued a joint statement. They said the step is illegal, violates human rights, and aims to derail the process of European integration. The NGOs stated that despite repression and arrests, they will continue their work and will not stop fighting for the country’s European future.

● The co-chair of the Helsinki Commission, U.S. congressman Joe Wilson, reacted to the freezing of Georgian NGOs’ accounts: “The anti-American ‘Georgian Dream’ regime is escalating repression against free citizens who are trying to prevent their country’s full absorption by communist China. The MEGOBARI Act must be passed immediately!” Wilson wrote.

● “Georgian Dream is intensifying repression against peaceful protesters. Bank accounts of seven civil society organizations were frozen on charges of ‘sabotage’ after they distributed protective gear to protesters. The European Parliament has defined how the European Union should respond. We cannot allow Georgia to be forgotten,” wrote MEP Rasa Juknevičienė on social media.

● Former president Salome Zurabishvili made a statement regarding the freezing of seven NGOs’ accounts. “This government has taken another step toward the Russian model, the establishment of a Russian regime is advancing very quickly. The charges brought against NGOs are completely absurd, just the same form of repressive regime we saw earlier in Russia. But in Georgia, this is developing much faster than it did in Russia at the time. Today is the time for society to understand: tolerating this means surrendering the country to Russia. But I believe Georgia will never surrender.”

● The imprisoned leader of the opposition “Coalition for Change,” Nika Gvaramia, issued a similar statement. “‘Anti-Georgian Dream’ has entered the final stage. It seems the scoundrels know exactly that we will lose visa-free travel with the EU, and they are doing everything to make sure we never get it back. This is an order from Russia, this is Putin’s anti-Georgian dream come true. Essentially, with its statement, ‘Anti-Georgian Dream’ has opened Pandora’s box called the ‘coup d’état case.’ The oligarchy must be overthrown!” Gvaramia wrote.

● Kazakhstan does not rule out the possibility of using the Baku–Supsa pipeline (Georgia) for oil exports if an agreement is reached with Azerbaijan, said Kazakhstan’s energy minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov. According to him, exporting Kazakh oil via Baku–Supsa, with loading and unloading operations in the ports of Aktau and Baku, would cost more than shipments through the Russian route. But it would provide diversification of transport routes. No additional investment would be required to export Kazakh oil via the Baku–Supsa pipeline.

The Baku–Supsa pipeline was commissioned in 1999. At present, according to Azerbaijan’s energy ministry, only limited volumes of oil are transported through it. BP-Azerbaijan has stated that the Baku–Supsa pipeline is not mothballed and is fully ready to start large-scale oil transportation at any moment.

● Information emerged about a mysterious suicide attempt in July by former head of the Adjara region, Tornike Rizhvadze. He shot himself with a pistol belonging to the now-former director of Georgia’s Maritime Transport Agency, Aleksi Akhveliani, who is now accused of negligent storage of a weapon. “Communication with Rizhvadze is restricted for everyone, including family members. He is undergoing two months of psychological treatment. In the coming days Tornike will undergo eye surgery in Turkey,” Akhveliani told journalists. He also recounted events on the day of the incident. He claims that in conversations, Rizhvadze repeatedly mentioned his wish to leave the post of head of the Adjara regional government and continue a diplomatic career in the UK. Akhveliani insists he did not hear the gunshot.

● Foreign Policy: “The August 8 meeting in Washington was a watershed in the long-running conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The framework agreement paves the way for unblocking regional trade and investment and establishes the United States as a key player in a region traditionally influenced by Russia, Turkey, and Iran. […] The Trump administration expects a full peace treaty to be signed and ratified by the end of 2026. […] The turning point came with Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Karabakh War in 2020 and the full restoration of sovereignty in 2023. This created a fundamentally new reality. […] The framework agreement between Baku and Yerevan is a major step toward ending one of the region’s bloodiest conflicts. It marks the beginning of a new era in the South Caucasus.”

● A special cabinet meeting was held on the occasion of President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the United States.

● The US EXIM Bank will support Azerbaijan’s projects in energy, the “green transition,” and innovation, Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov announced.

● At the meeting, it was reported that 95% of the Goradiz–Jabrayil–Zangilan–Agbend highway—part of the route from Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory—has already been completed. Of the 110 km of the Goradiz–Agbend railway, 76 km have been finished. In Baku, this route is called the Zangezur Corridor. At the August 8 Washington meeting, with the participation of President Donald Trump, an agreement was reached with Armenia to open transit routes. The entire route was named the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP).

● Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev stated that Azerbaijan is carrying out several key regional infrastructure projects, with the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway and the Baku International Sea Trade Port as the main pillars of this strategy.

● Shahin Mustafayev: “Opening the Zangezur Corridor will increase the capacity of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route—the Middle Corridor—by 15 million tons per year. The Zangezur Corridor is a strategic bridge linking mainland Azerbaijan with Turkey and Central Asia. At the same time, it will serve as a new artery connecting Southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf with Northern Europe.”

● Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov: “Until the end of January this year, Armenia objected to certain provisions of the draft peace treaty with Azerbaijan, particularly those banning the deployment of third-country forces on the common border and the withdrawal of lawsuits. This was before Donald Trump’s administration took office in the US. Only afterward did Armenia change its position on these points.”

● OSCE member states are expected to decide on September 1 to formally dissolve the Minsk Group, which has mediated the Karabakh conflict since the early 1990s, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said. Azerbaijan and Armenia jointly appealed to the OSCE chair to abolish the Minsk Group and its associated structures, in line with the agreement reached at the August 8 Washington meeting.

● Azerbaijan has extended its gas supply agreement with Iran for deliveries to its Nakhchivan exclave through Iranian territory. The current contract was set to expire this year. According to SOCAR, under the 2005 agreement, Iran supplies gas from Julfa to Nakhchivan and in return receives an equivalent volume of Azerbaijani gas via Astara. Although a new pipeline through Turkey (Iğdır–Nakhchivan) was launched in March, gas deliveries through it have not yet started.

● The trial continued for Ruben Vardanyan, former state minister of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and an Armenian citizen, who remains in pretrial detention. He is accused of torture, mercenarism, war crimes, terrorism, and other offenses. According to pro-government outlet Azertaj, “the court heard testimonies from victims and relatives of those killed, kidnapped, or tortured during the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenian forces.” The next hearing is set for September 2.

Photo by Farid Salimov 

● Armenia and the United Kingdom agreed to “elevate relations to a strategic partnership and expand cooperation in defense and security,” according to a joint statement after the second round of the Armenia–UK Strategic Dialogue. The first round took place in London in November 2023; the second was held in Yerevan, co-chaired by Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan and UK Minister of State for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty.

The statement, published on Armenia’s Foreign Ministry website, notes plans to deepen defense and security cooperation. This includes high-level contacts, exchange of military attachés, and closer collaboration on cybersecurity. Armenia and the UK also expressed intent to strengthen economic ties.

● Stephen Doughty met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who emphasized that the visit came at a “very important, even historic period,” following the August 8 agreements reached by Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington. Pashinyan said these talks laid the groundwork “for stability, predictability, regional cooperation, and development in the South Caucasus.” Doughty congratulated him and assured that the UK would support this process.

● Doughty also held a “working breakfast” with Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan in Dilijan. Grigoryan outlined details of the Washington agreements—on Armenian–Azerbaijani normalization and regional connectivity under Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative. The sides also discussed further development of bilateral relations.

● Accompanied by UK Ambassador John Gallagher, Doughty visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial. Museum Director Edita Gzoyan briefed him on the events of the early 20th century in Ottoman Turkey. Doughty laid a wreath, and the delegation observed a minute of silence. He also viewed khachkars (cross-stones) commemorating Armenian victims of pogroms in Sumgait, Baku, and Kirovabad.

● Doughty summed up his meetings: “We discussed democracy, security, and defense. We have joint plans, and this dialogue will raise our cooperation to a new level. We share fundamental principles—sovereignty and territorial integrity. Armenia is moving in the right direction by broadening partnerships. We are ready to stand with Armenia and develop opportunities in a positive way.”

● A new criminal case has been opened against former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. He faces 18 counts of large-scale embezzlement, two counts of large-scale money laundering, and three counts of complicity. His lawyer petitioned to have the case dropped, citing “illegally obtained evidence,” but the court rejected the motion, upholding a travel ban and bail.

In 2019, Sargsyan faced another embezzlement case over 489 million drams (about \$1 million). In 2024, he was acquitted due to “lack of evidence of a crime.”

● Outside the court, journalists asked if the Republican Party, led by Sargsyan, would run in Armenia’s 2026 parliamentary elections. He said the issue was not being discussed, as their main goal was the impeachment of the current prime minister. Commenting on the Washington-brokered peace deal with Azerbaijan, Sargsyan said it should not be called a peace agreement: “It is a story of how a capitulator gave in to Azerbaijan’s latest demands.”

● Investigative outlet Hetq reported that Belarus sold weapons to Azerbaijan, which were used to shoot down 11 Armenian drones during the 44-day war. A leak of emails and internal reports from Belarusian arms manufacturer Tetraedr revealed that Belarus helped Azerbaijan modernize its air-defense systems. The documents were obtained by OCCRP, *Hetq*, and the exile-founded *Bureau Media*. Despite being Armenia’s CSTO ally, Belarus supplied Azerbaijan with “Pechora-2TM” air-defense systems and assisted with upgrades through state-linked Tetraedr. Reports confirm these systems were actively used during the war. From 2006 to 2020, Tetraedr signed at least 16 contracts with Azerbaijan, some routed through a British Virgin Islands offshore company, raising corruption concerns.

Relations between Yerevan and Minsk—already strained over arms supplies—deteriorated further when Alexander Lukashenko openly supported Azerbaijan’s “war of liberation.” In response, Armenia’s prime minister announced that neither he nor any official would visit Belarus as long as Lukashenko remains president. Read more here

● The opposition party Girchi has nominated its leader, Iago Khvichia, as a candidate for mayor of Tbilisi in the municipal elections on October 4. Sandro Rakviashvili has been nominated for deputy mayor.

● The Council of Europe’s panel of experts published its assessment of Georgia’s new “Foreign Agents Registration Law” (the so-called FARA law). “The law poses a serious threat to fundamental rights guaranteed by the European Convention. The measures envisaged in this act cannot be considered necessary in a democratic society. We call on Georgian Dream to repeal this law,” the conclusion states.

● The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) protested against pressure from the ruling Georgian Dream on investigative organizations. The statement said that the authorities demanded that the founder organization Myth Detector and the Media Development Foundation (MDF) provide confidential personal information about partners and beneficiaries. “Independent journalism must work without fear,” IFCN declared.

● Georgian Dream MP Archil Gorduladze made new accusations against the European Union following statements about a possible suspension of the visa-free regime. “Our country is being threatened simply because the democratically elected government does not follow the orders of the ‘deep state.’ We will continue to refuse, as such orders would lead Georgia to collapse, economic ruin, and war.”

● The verdict in the case of activist Saba Skhvtaridze, detained during pro-European protests, will be announced on September 3. He is accused of assaulting a police officer. At the July 24 hearing, this charge was dropped. The prosecution accepted the defense’s evidence that Skhvtaridze did not know he was dealing with a police officer during the clash.

● Chair of the United National Movement party Tina Bokuchava, along with party leaders Zurab Chiaberashvili and Giorgi Baramidze, met with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. They discussed the threat of suspension of the visa-free regime and ways to protect Georgian citizens.

● An Abkhazian delegation arrived in Syria to participate in the 62nd International Fair in Damascus.

● An Armenian delegation has been invited to China for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II. A military parade will take place in Beijing on September 3, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “This reflects the high level of political dialogue between the two countries,” said Levon Ayvazyan, head of defense policy and international cooperation at Armenia’s Defense Ministry.

● “The main challenge in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations remains the issue of trust. If Armenia and Azerbaijan trusted each other, there would be no need to sign any documents,” Prime Minister Pashinyan said at the annual meeting of Armenian diplomatic mission heads. Since Sunday, August 24, the meeting has been held in Kapan, Syunik region, on the border with Azerbaijan. Pashinyan stressed that diplomats must create “at least a minimal foundation for building trust.”

● At the same meeting, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan presented Armenian diplomats with details of the peace agreement initialed with Azerbaijan. He outlined Armenia’s foreign policy vision in the new reality of “established peace,” highlighting emerging opportunities and how to realize them. He emphasized the benefits of unblocking regional communications, an agreement reached in Washington with U.S. mediation.

●  Iran’s presidential press service reported that Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone call with Vladimir Putin, discussed the results of his visit to Armenia. He said Armenian authorities, in talks with Azerbaijan and the U.S., took into account the interests of Iran and Russia — something Prime Minister Pashinyan had assured him of. Read more here

● Armenia’s economic activity grew by 9.1% in July 2025 compared to the same month last year. According to official statistics, industry grew 4.2%, construction 26.1%, trade 3.8%, and services 11.1%. As a result, budget tax revenues also increased. Read more here

● Ruling Civil Contract party MP Armen Khachatryan reported on the results of the three-year border support program. The initiative allows people to settle in border villages of their choice, simultaneously solving housing issues and repopulating these areas. After Azerbaijan’s incursions into Armenia in 2021 and 2022, many were reluctant to live near the frontier. “Under the program, each beneficiary receives support worth 16 million drams (about $42,000). Hundreds of houses have already been built in border villages. In the village of Karahunj, Goris community, 51 private houses were constructed in two years, creating an entirely new neighborhood. I call this a program to save villages, because for decades almost no houses were built in rural areas — now whole new districts are emerging,” said the MP. Read more here

●  “Starting September 1, displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh will be exempt from paying state fees for obtaining Armenian citizenship,” the migration and citizenship service announced.

● From May to July 2025, Armenia recorded its highest-ever tourist arrivals for these months: 181,436 in May, 215,253 in June, and 263,592 in July.

● Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held talks in Baku with UK Minister of State Stephen Doughty. They discussed the situation in the South Caucasus and the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Both sides called Azerbaijan a reliable partner in energy security and emphasized its role as an initiator and key executor of major international projects. Special attention was given to cooperation between SOCAR and BP in renewable energy.

● President Ilham Aliyev posted on X thanking U.S. President Donald Trump for supporting peace in the South Caucasus and for a personal gift — a signed photo from their meeting. The photo inscription reads: “Ilham, You are Great Leader.”

● “Economic cooperation between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia will reach a new level after the full implementation of the Zangezur Corridor project,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said following a cabinet meeting.

This road will link Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia. Under a Washington-brokered deal on August 8 with Trump’s involvement, a 40 km section on Armenian territory will be managed by a joint U.S.-Armenian company. The project, resolving a long-standing Armenia–Azerbaijan dispute, has been named the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP).

● “Azerbaijan is ready to support a diplomatic settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is important to ensure conditions for humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev at an emergency OIC ministerial session in Jeddah. He reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s support for a two-state solution, in line with international law and UN Security Council resolutions, and pledged continued aid for Palestinians.

● The trial of former leaders of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic continued. They are accused of war crimes, terrorism, attempts to overthrow state power, and other serious offenses. According to state agency AZERTAC, victims of Armenian armed attacks and former prisoners who endured torture testified, along with dozens who suffered violence or lost relatives during the first Karabakh war in the early 1990s. The trial will resume on August 28.

● Today Azerbaijan marks Lachin City Day, celebrating its liberation from 30 years of Armenian occupation during the Second Karabakh War. “On August 26, 2022, the Azerbaijani flag was raised in Lachin. Major General Kanan Seyidov reported to President Ilham Aliyev on the army’s deployment there. The president announced the joyful return of Azerbaijanis to Lachin on his X page,” the press release stated.

● Next steps in energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Syria were discussed at Syria’s Ministry of Energy with the participation of Azerbaijani chargé d’affaires in Damascus, Elnur Shahguseynov.

●  A warehouse fire at the Sədərək shopping center has been fully extinguished, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported. Here is an analysis of the recurring fires in shopping centers

● Twenty-eight graduates of the Gabala State Vocational Education Center received equipment as a gift to help them start work in bakery, tailoring, printing, beauty salons, and auto-electrics. One has already launched a bread and pastry business. The project, Youth Business Workshop, launched in 2021, aims to develop entrepreneurial skills and support youth businesses. So far, 65 people in Baku and the regions have received equipment.

● Amnesty International has sent a letter to the Prosecutor General from the Georgian Dream party regarding the arrested actor Andro Chichinadze and other activists detained during pro-European protests. The letter says that the evidence against them is insufficient, while video footage clearly shows police officers insulting protesters. The organization also highlights major violations in court proceedings: Chichinadze was assigned a state lawyer without his consent, the defense was given insufficient time, and witness testimonies against police officers were contradictory. Amnesty reminds Georgian Dream that by labeling prisoners of conscience as criminals, the authorities violate the presumption of innocence. Human rights defenders demand fair trials for the detainees or their immediate release, as well as an effective investigation into all reported police abuses.

● Two opposition parties, Lelo – Strong Georgia and For Georgia, have nominated candidates for the Tbilisi City Council majoritarian elections scheduled for October 4. Mayoral candidate Irakli Kupradze said that if he wins, both parties will introduce European standards of governance in Tbilisi to bring “prosperity and happiness.”

●  Eight opposition parties boycotting the local elections have announced a joint march on September 13. They called the October 4 municipal elections a “Russian special operation” and urged other opposition forces to withdraw from participation and “return to unity.”

● Nika Gvaramia, leader of Coalition for Change: “The appointment of Georgian Dream ideologist Mamuka Mdinaradze as head of the State Security Service means the agency will now focus on propaganda efforts benefiting Russia. This absurd flow of disinformation cannot be countered by simple refutation — civil society, opposition, and especially critical media must mobilize to shape the agenda.”

● Georgia has lost an international arbitration case against Russian energy company Inter RAO. The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes rejected Georgia’s appeal and upheld the decision ordering it to pay $76.9 million plus an annual interest rate of 2%. The case, launched by Inter RAO in 2017, concerned changes in electricity tariff methodology introduced in Georgia in 2014, which the company argued caused significant losses.

● Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said that Georgia has taken concrete steps toward EU integration and implemented the required reforms, but some EU officials “unfairly assess” its progress. Commenting on the European Commission’s negative assessment of Georgia’s compliance with candidate recommendations, Kaladze claimed: “We are ahead of many EU member states, not to mention candidate countries. But some European bureaucrats rely on lies and misinformation. Their double standards have two main reasons: first, Georgia refused to enter the war with Russia and open a second front; second, we did not join the financial sanctions against Russia, which would have been catastrophic for our economy.”

● August 29 has been declared a public holiday in Georgia, though no explanation was provided. Authorities only noted that the decision does not apply to essential services.

📷 Photo: Andro Chichinadze and other arrested participants of the pro-European protests that have continued in Georgia for more than eight months.

● Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Azerbaijan for its support in response to congratulations on Ukraine’s Independence Day. “Ukraine and Azerbaijan have always supported each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We are sincerely grateful to friendly Azerbaijan for its humanitarian and other assistance. We look forward to further strengthening our strategic partnership for the benefit of our peoples,” his post on X read.

● “The Trump Route (TRIPP) and the Middle Corridor will be effective for companies and residents of Northern European countries with export-oriented economies,” wrote Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway, Zaur Ahmadov, in an article for the Norwegian outlet Utrop. “TRIPP will become a key part of the larger Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, Middle Corridor), linking Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and China, while bypassing zones of geopolitical instability. Norway also has longstanding traditions of supporting peace and international cooperation. Its experience, combined with the regional integration model of the Nordic countries, could serve as inspiration for the South Caucasus,” Ahmadov wrote.

The Trump Route — Trump route for international peace and prosperity — is a road from Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenian territory. A 40 km stretch inside Armenia will be managed by a joint Armenian-American company, under an agreement reached in Washington with the participation of President Donald Trump.

● Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan plan to establish a network of wholesale distribution centers and develop sustainable trade and logistics chains. This was announced on the sidelines of the recent trilateral summit in Turkmenistan.

● A delegation from the Romanian Senate visited Karabakh, including the cities of Khankendi and Shusha. The head of the delegation, Cristian-Augustin Niculescu-Țîgîrlaș, told journalists about Karabakh’s great potential for tourism and industry development and proposed signing a cooperation declaration between Romania’s Maramureș region and Karabakh. The senator also invited the leaders of the Karabakh region to visit Maramureș.

● In the Azerbaijani section of the Kura River (which flows through the entire region), a mass die-off of fish and other aquatic resources has been recorded. The water use and protection oversight service has launched an investigation, and water samples have been sent to the Central Laboratory for analysis.

● Armenia marked the 35th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia. The document was signed on August 23, 1990, by the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who later became the first president of independent Armenia. In his congratulatory message, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that the country had gone through severe trials over these years, and that now patriotism should be based on state interests. He stressed that continuing the Karabakh movement would mean eliminating Armenia’s independence. “Peace has been established, and it must become the subject of daily care and attention, it must become institutionalized. August 2025 marks the beginning of a peaceful and prosperous life for Armenia,” Pashinyan said, referring to the peace agreement with Azerbaijan initialed in Washington on August 8.

● On the same day, the opposition party “Dashnaktsutyun” accused the authorities of undermining “the foundations of statehood and the principles enshrined in the 1990 Declaration.” The Dashnaks were outraged by Prime Minister Pashinyan’s statement that Armenia must abandon the Karabakh movement. The opposition reminded that the very first sentence of the Declaration refers to the joint resolution of the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR and the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh of December 1, 1989, “On the reunification of the Armenian SSR and Nagorno-Karabakh.” “Remaining faithful to the idea of independence and the national goals laid down in the Declaration, we must find the strength to resist the anti-state and anti-national authorities,” Dashnaktsutyun said in a statement.

● A protest took place in Gyumri demanding the withdrawal of the Russian 102nd military base from Armenia, organized by the party “In the Name of the Republic.” Protesters shouted slogans such as “Fascists,” “Traitors,” “Murderers,” “Independent Armenia without Russian boots,” and “Armenia without foreign garrisons.” Armenian police cordoned off the base but did not obstruct the rally. Organizers noted that the police were “defending the base, which was supposed to defend Armenia but failed to do so.” Loud music was played from the base, and Russian soldiers broadcast Armenian patriotic songs to drown out the protest speeches.

● At the same time, another rally was held in Gyumri by the “Mother Armenia” party in support of the Russian military presence. Its leader Andranik Tevanyan stated: “Learning that Turkey’s fifth column [referring to pro-Western politicians] intended to hold a rally demanding the withdrawal of Russia’s 102nd military base from Armenia on the anniversary of the Independence Declaration, we could not remain idle. The withdrawal of Russian troops is nothing but an invitation for Turkish forces into Armenia.”

● The Armenian Embassy in the United States held a farewell reception marking the end of Ambassador Lilit Makunts’ mission. During her tenure, in January 2025, Armenia and the U.S. signed a Charter on Strategic Partnership, and in August, a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan was initialed in Washington with U.S. mediation.

● The annual meeting of Armenia’s diplomatic missions abroad was held this year in the city of Kapan, Syunik region. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that the gathering of ambassadors was taking place “in a new situation for Armenia and the region — under conditions of established peace.” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also attended and, according to the Foreign Ministry, gave detailed and lengthy answers to the ambassadors’ questions.

● Armenia’s youth national team took second place in the team standings at the World Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship. Gaspar Terteryan (72 kg) became world champion. Another team member, Alex Margaryan (63 kg), won silver, and Erik Ter-Matevosyan (87 kg) claimed bronze.

● A major rally in support of Ukraine was held in Tbilisi on August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day. A large Ukrainian flag was unfurled on Rustaveli Avenue (pictured). The march began at the Taras Shevchenko monument and then moved toward Rustaveli Avenue. Participants carried Georgian and Ukrainian flags.

● The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of Georgian Dream, congratulated Ukraine on Independence Day, wishing peace, stability, and prosperity. “We express solidarity with the Ukrainian people and once again reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement said.

● Former president Salome Zurabishvili congratulated Ukraine on Independence Day: “We Georgians, like you Ukrainians, know well the price of independence, the price of territorial integrity. In recent years you have shown the world what it means to defend your land. You have managed to unite all of Europe around you. You will have peace, you will have the support of the Georgian people, and we will share a common European future — I am certain of it!” she wrote on social media.

● The head of the State Security Service has changed. Anri Okhanashvili of Georgian Dream has become adviser to the prime minister, while the service will now be led by parliamentary majority leader Mamuka Mdinaradze.

●  Tina Bokuchava, chair of the opposition United National Movement: “The appointment of such a scoundrel as Mamuka Mdinaradze as head of the SSG, who is ready to sign anything, along with the latest reshuffles, show the Ivanishvili regime is on its last breath. It is weaker than ever, with problems at all levels — judiciary, even ties with the criminal world. Victory is closer than ever, and what we need now is public political consolidation.”

● Opposition mayoral candidate for Tbilisi from Lelo – Strong Georgia and Gakharia for Georgia Irakli Kupradze gave a similar comment: “The ruling team is collapsing from within. Their leader, oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, no longer trusts many of them. Officials were first forced to carry out dirty tasks, and now they are being discarded. The head of the SSG was reassigned as adviser without salary or respect. This is Anri Okhanashvili, who was forced to carry out illegal operations, including kidnapping businessman Bachiashvili from the UAE. Now he has been thrown out. Ivanishvili makes such decisions alone, guided by his own safety and mercenary interests.”

●  Public Defender Levan Ioseliani called on all political forces to refrain from hate speech ahead of the municipal elections scheduled for October 4. “Unfortunately, we are already seeing cases of this. I hope the elections will be held in a peaceful environment,” said Ioseliani.

●  Prime Minister from Georgian Dream Irakli Kobakhidze: “Our opponents, including foreigners, tried to adapt our Constitution to themselves. But we defended national interests and for seven years did not allow anyone to insult the Constitution.”

● The lawyer of 25-year-old Tekla Gersamia, arrested for allegedly killing her husband, made a sensational statement to Pirveli TV. She said Gersamia was tricked and pressured into signing a confession. According to the lawyer, her husband actually stabbed himself in front of Tekla, and she only pulled out the knife because he asked for help.

● Popular Georgian musician and composer Mamuka Charkviani, 69, was buried on Sunday at Saburtalo Cemetery.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 18-22 August, 2025