Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 2-6 June, 2025

● Austrian MEP Lena Schilling has called on her colleagues to add the case of Mzia Amaghlobeli — the detained founder of the popular outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti — to the agenda of the Parliamentary Assembly. “She has been in illegal detention for 145 days now, and I’m truly concerned this is only the beginning. We’re in close contact with the journalists around her and must closely monitor her case,” said Schilling.

● Georgian Dream’s foreign minister Maka Bochorishvili: “Our relationship with the United States is very important to us. We have repeatedly said so publicly and in open letters. We are deeply concerned about the current situation, but the deterioration we’ve seen in recent years is not our fault.”

● “China is a superpower that everyone should look up to,” said Georgian Dream’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. “China has not engaged in any wars over the past 45 years. From the very beginning, it has been focused on progress and modernization. Deepening Georgia’s cooperation with China will not provoke a negative reaction from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, as China’s policy is aimed at global peace,” Kobakhidze stated.

● “The Republic of Ingushetia (a federal subject of Russia) plans to hold a Russian-Georgian youth forum aimed at strengthening intercultural dialogue with Georgia,” reports Russian agency Interfax.

● Brussels condemns the closure of the EU and NATO information center in Georgia. According to EURACTIV, the European Commission stated that, against the backdrop of worsening ties between Tbilisi and the West, this move is “yet another step in the wrong direction.”

● European Parliament member Nathalie Loiseau responded to Georgian Dream prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who today compared the European Parliament to a “Soviet institution”: “If the Georgian PM dislikes the Soviet Union so much, why is he copying its methods — arresting peaceful protesters, silencing independent media and opposition after rigged elections? That doesn’t happen in the EU. And wasn’t it he who claimed to support EU membership, only to backtrack and steal Georgia’s future?” Loiseau wrote on X.

● “The United Kingdom is stepping up efforts to remove the ruling Georgian Dream party from power,” Russian state agency TASS reports, citing Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service. “The British plan to encourage groups involved in subversive ‘creative’ activities to unite with opposition parties. London believes this will ‘revive’ Georgia’s systemic opposition and spark a new wave of struggle to oust Georgian Dream,” the propaganda outlet states.

● Russia’s deputy representative to the UN, Maria Zabolotskaya, said the ruling Georgian Dream party itself gave Russia grounds not to support the UN resolution on Georgia’s territorial integrity and the return of forcibly displaced persons to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, adopted on June 3. “On the night of August 7–8, 2008, the Saakashvili regime attacked South Ossetia, violating all existing agreements and attempts at peaceful dialogue, and targeted Russian peacekeepers. This is also mentioned in the statement by Georgian Dream’s political council, which plans to launch a public legal process on the matter,” Zabolotskaya said.

● A Russian delegation, including Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko and heads of Russian embassies in European countries, is visiting Baku. During a meeting with the delegation, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stressed the importance of intensive contacts for the development of Azerbaijan-Russia relations, according to a press release.

● A request has been filed with the court to toughen the sentence of Elvin Mustafayev, a member of the labor union confederation “Work Table,” who was sentenced to three years for drug possession/distribution. The young activist strongly denies the charges, claims political persecution for criticizing the authorities, and has been on hunger strike since early May in protest. The request, which seeks to transfer him to a high-security prison until the end of his sentence in August 2026, claims Mustafayev “acts as an opposition figure in the correctional facility, files baseless complaints, and attempts to harm himself and staff.” The court will review the request on June 12. Meanwhile, according to his family, he has been placed in solitary confinement, with release conditional on ending the hunger strike. His lawyer, Zibeyda Sadygova, said she was denied a meeting with him on June 4. The family suspects he was tortured and that access to legal counsel was blocked to prevent disclosure. The Azerbaijani service of Radio Free Europe reported that it has not received a response from the penitentiary service to its inquiry.

● A group of Azerbaijani NGOs has sent an open letter to Swiss Ambassador Thomas Stähli expressing “concern over rising anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric in Switzerland.” “A recent example is an event co-organized by the Swiss Protestant Church and the Armenian Church in Bern, which became part of a disinformation campaign \[…] Participants at such events openly disregard the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, using provocative language \[…] Why has the Council of States of the Swiss Parliament \[which voiced concern about the fate of nearly 150,000 ethnic Armenians who fled Karabakh] never addressed the fate of nearly 4,000 Azerbaijanis missing since the First Karabakh War? Why was there no concern for civilian casualties caused by landmines planted by Armenian forces in areas recently liberated by Azerbaijan? Countries far from our region should refrain from biased and inflammatory positions. We strongly urge Switzerland not to become a platform for campaigns seeking to influence regional dynamics through disinformation. We ask that our concerns be conveyed to the appropriate Swiss institutions,” the letter reads.

● “Azerbaijan attaches great importance to expanding trade and economic ties with CIS countries,” said Prime Minister Ali Asadov during the CIS Heads of Government Council meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

● Araz Musayev, chairman of Azerbaijan’s Muay Thai Federation and a nine-time world champion, who suffered multiple stab wounds in Antalya at the end of May, is demanding the arrest of Surakhani district head Adil Aliyev. From his hospital bed, Musayev recorded a video appeal to the president, claiming that Aliyev ordered the attack in order to take over the federation. Read more here

● The trial of a group of former leaders of the former unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) continues. They are accused of war crimes, terrorism, attempts to overthrow the state, and other serious offenses. Pro-government agency AZERTAC reports that “the session presented detailed data on deliberate damage to the environment and economy of Azerbaijan during Armenia’s war of aggression. The data was gathered through detailed study of each district, village, and town in the liberated territories.” This includes deforestation, mining operations, and illegal construction and exploitation of hydroelectric power stations.

AZERTAC also reported that the court questioned “former NKR Defense Minister” Levon Mnatsakanyan, who was quoted as saying: “The NKR army was considered part of Armenia’s armed forces. Appointments of commanders were made upon the proposal of the Armenian defense minister and approved by the Armenian president. Later, this process was handled by the Armenian prime minister. A list of necessary weapons was compiled and delivered from Armenia free of charge.” Mnatsakanyan also said that during the April 2016 clashes, he received orders from Armenia. The trial will continue on June 12.

● From January to April this year, the number of tourists arriving in Azerbaijan from China increased by 70 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Economy. Since July 2024, Chinese citizens have been able to travel to Azerbaijan without a visa.

Photo: Elvin Mustafayev

● “The border demarcation process with Azerbaijan has not reached a deadlock; it is ongoing,” said Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.

● The Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Turkey held a phone conversation. Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the upcoming holiday of Eid al-Adha. Erdoğan, in turn, congratulated Pashinyan on the upcoming summit of the European Political Community to be held in Yerevan in spring 2026. It was reported that both leaders agreed to continue the dialogue.

● Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated: “Although we have no official diplomatic relations with Turkey, our bilateral dialogue is more active and productive than with a number of countries with which we do have formal ties. And of course, those who say it is time for this dialogue to yield tangible results are right.” For decades, Turkey has tied the opening of the border and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia to a settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict that is acceptable to Baku.

● After a two-week delay, Georgia has allowed 52 trucks carrying alcohol produced in Armenia to transit to Russia. The trucks had been stuck at the “Upper Lars” checkpoint on the Georgia-Russia border due to Georgia’s demand for detailed cargo inspections. Another 72 Armenian trucks with wine and brandy remain stranded at the border. Authorities in Tbilisi have promised to resolve the issue within five days. Today, Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture will arrive in Yerevan to discuss the creation of an effective mechanism to prevent such incidents.

● Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, has arrived in Yerevan. She was welcomed at the airport by Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan. They will open the 39th session of the Armenia-Russia Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Commission. The main theme will be the 80th anniversary of victory in World War II.

● Armenia may receive another round of financial assistance from the European Peace Facility in 2025. In 2024, the country received €10 million in support from the fund. Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan also announced that Armenia is already included in preliminary beneficiary programs for 2026.

● “Armenia is demonstratively not paying its contributions to the CSTO (the Russia-led military bloc), and this needs to be addressed,” said Konstantin Zatulin, deputy head of the Russian Duma’s Committee on CIS Affairs. “Armenia has suspended all cooperation within the CSTO. Yet it remains a member of the Eurasian Union (also led by Russia). The authorities are trying to convince the public that it’s possible to exit military and political cooperation with Russia, reorient to the West, while still benefiting from economic ties with Russia and other CSTO and Eurasian Union members.”

● Another protest in support of the Armenian Apostolic Church took place outside the government building in Yerevan. Activists expressed outrage at Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s offensive remarks about the clergy. Today’s protest featured a performance — one participant appeared dressed as Death, with a scythe and a sign on his back reading: “Hell awaits Nikol.” (video below). More details here about the sharply deteriorated relationship between Nikol Pashinyan and the Church.

● A delegation led by Georgia’s Minister of Culture Tinatin Rukhadze is currently visiting Yerevan. The visit is part of the Days of Georgia in Armenia.

● The Museum of Military History, dedicated to World War II and the Karabakh wars, will be incorporated into the History Museum of Armenia by government decision.

● Head of Armenia’s National Security Service Armen Abazyan gave a positive assessment of the second meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani state commissions on missing persons. “We agreed to conduct joint searches for the missing,” he told journalists.

● Armenia has reported its first case of West Nile fever this year, according to the Ministry of Health. An outbreak occurred last year, with around 130 cases and 4 deaths. The virus is carried by birds returning from seasonal migration in Africa, including to Armenia, and then spread by mosquitoes.

● A data leak from Armenia’s National Archive to Azerbaijan has led to a criminal case on charges of treason and espionage, according to “Pastinfo” citing the Investigative Committee. No archive employees have been detained or arrested as part of the investigation.

● Police have located a child abducted from a foreign national. The incident took place the previous day in Yerevan. According to reports, the girl was abducted by her biological mother, her current husband, and two others. All four were detained later that day at the Bagratashen border crossing with Georgia, along with the child.

● “The situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border is relatively stable. There are occasional shootings, but they are not targeted,” said Chief of the General Staff Edvard Asryan. According to him, “The purpose of the shootings is to exert psychological pressure on soldiers and civilians.”

● “The Anti-Corruption Committee sent me a letter stating that according to cadastral records, I am listed as co-owner of an apartment and asked for clarification. That’s how I found out I was co-owner,” said Finance Minister Vahé Hovhannisyan. In his latest asset declaration, he mentioned selling a land plot he had never declared before. The declaration also lists an apartment acquired in 2004.

● Ten police officers have been dismissed for drug use, said Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan. She noted that 17 officers were dismissed in 2024, and another 10 have been dismissed in the first months of 2025.

● “A turning point is taking place in Azerbaijan-Iran relations, and there is hope that joint efforts will lead to dynamic development in various fields,” according to the press service of the President of Azerbaijan. This was said during a phone conversation between Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Masoud Pezeshkian. It was noted that following Pezeshkian’s visit to Azerbaijan in April, the Baku-Tabriz flight has been restored, and the number of Baku-Tehran flights has increased. Experts consider these developments significant against the backdrop of strained relations between the two countries after the armed attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tehran in January 2023.

● A delegation of political directors from the foreign ministries of Northern and Baltic states (NB8 – Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) is currently in Baku. The pro-government outlet Report reported on their meetings with Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan, and Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev. The discussions reportedly focused on the importance of mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union in areas such as energy security, trade, communications, and cybersecurity. Information was also provided on the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, large-scale reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories, the return of internally displaced persons, and demining efforts.

● Another meeting took place between the state commissions of Azerbaijan and Armenia on missing persons. The sides reportedly discussed possibilities for information exchange and coordination of search operations. From the Azerbaijani side, 3,984 people were listed as missing during the First Karabakh War, of whom 1,702 have been found. Following the Second Karabakh War (in 2020), six people remain missing. From the Armenian side, 777 are considered missing from the First Karabakh War and 215 from the Second.

● Fazil Gasimov, an Azerbaijani doctoral student at Istanbul University who has been imprisoned for nearly two years, has reportedly been punished for his hunger strike, according to his family and lawyer. They say that Gasimov, who has been on hunger strike since May 10, has been placed in solitary confinement. “Fazil told his mother that they set a condition for his release from solitary — he must submit a written request to end the hunger strike. He continues to insist that he was sentenced to 9 years in prison for nothing, that he committed no crime, and that the hunger strike is his form of protest,” said the lawyer. His appeal hearing was scheduled for June 4 but has been postponed to June 17. According to the charges, Gasimov allegedly handed counterfeit US dollars to well-known economist Professor Gubad Ibadoghlu (also under arrest) in Istanbul, who then brought them to Baku. Gasimov denies the charges and demands a public confrontation with Ibadoghlu. More details on Fazil Gasimov’s arrest and its potential connection to the “FETÖ case” are available.

● The situation in Georgia was discussed during an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights. The European Parliament’s rapporteur on Georgia, Rasa Juknevičienė, stated: “We have to amend the report on Georgia almost daily due to new brutal steps the ruling party’s regime proposes every week. I think we must urge EU member states to introduce sanctions as soon as possible, especially against those responsible for the repression.” Juknevičienė expressed concern that two major critical media outlets operating in Georgia may be shut down in the coming days, adding that “this would mean the end of freedom of speech.” She also said the European Parliament’s assessment mission was denied a meeting with Mzia Amaghlobeli, the imprisoned founder of Netgazeti and Batumelebi.

Juknevičienė has been labeled by the “Georgian Dream” party as “a prominent representative of the ‘global war party’ interfering in Georgia’s internal affairs.”

● EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Keuler: “Although the majority of the population holds pro-European views, the ‘Georgian Dream’ is moving in the opposite direction by adopting laws on foreign agents and broadcasting.”

● European Parliament member Tomasz Froelich, from Germany’s “Alternative for Germany” party, welcomed the presence of Georgian activists and journalists Lasha Bugadze, Beka Korshia, and Keti Kerashvili at the same meeting. However, he stressed that the European Parliament should not only engage with civil society in Georgia. “Diplomacy also requires engagement with those who think differently,” said Froelich.

● The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is expected to adopt a critical report today on political developments in Georgia in 2023–24. The draft states that the committee “does not recognize the self-proclaimed government formed by the Georgian Dream party after the rigged 2024 parliamentary elections” and considers Georgia “a state captured by the illegitimate regime of the Georgian Dream.” The 5th president, Salome Zourabichvili, is named in the draft as the “legitimate president.” The 14-page report also says that “candidate status was granted to Georgia conditionally” and that under the Georgian Dream’s leadership, the country has not only failed to make progress but has regressed.

Key points include:

• Concern over the rising number of political prisoners and a call for their release.

• “Founder of independent outlets Netgazeti and Batumelebi, Mzia Amaghlobeli, is in pretrial detention on fabricated charges.”

• Condemnation of “the dismissal of up to 700 public servants for supporting pro-European protests.”

• A call to freeze the assets of Bidzina Ivanishvili (oligarch and honorary chairman of Georgian Dream) in coordination with the UK.

• “New parliamentary elections are the only way to resolve the political and constitutional crisis.”

• EU High Representative Kaja Kallas is advised to consider additional individual sanctions if “municipal elections in October are not held in accordance with fair and free election standards.”

• New laws restricting media and NGO rights are described as “Russian-style.”

● Council of Europe President António Costa, after a phone call with the 5th president, Salome Zourabichvili: “Upcoming local elections in October were among the topics discussed. Georgia’s future lies in the hands of Georgians. Further progress on the European path must be based solely on European values.”

●  The Swedish government has decided to cut support for Georgian authorities from one of its largest donors, SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency). Instead, SIDA will direct assistance to Georgian NGOs. Salome Zourabichvili reported this, saying she received a letter from Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson, who expressed concern over the state of democracy and human rights in Georgia, which he said are incompatible with EU values and Georgia’s European aspirations.

● Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met in Tbilisi with IMF mission head Alejandro Hajdenberg, executive director Geron Klik, and resident representative in Georgia Andrew Jewell. Kobakhidze said he values working with the IMF and that the fund’s forecasts align with those of the Georgian government. The IMF delegation expressed readiness for close cooperation, according to the government press service.

● Trust in the EU in Georgia has declined by 15.5% in recent months, according to a Eurobarometer survey. Interestingly, during the same period, trust in the EU among citizens of European countries rose to 52% — the highest level since 2007.

● 107 countries supported the Georgian resolution at the UN General Assembly, which affirms the right of all refugees and internally displaced persons to return to Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. Compared to last year’s vote, four additional countries backed the resolution, including Syria. Nine countries voted against it: Russia, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Mali, Nicaragua, Sudan, and Equatorial Guinea. 49 countries abstained, including Switzerland, whose diplomatic missions currently host interest sections for both Georgia and Russia (as the two countries have no diplomatic relations). Among the abstaining countries were China, Iran, Israel, Serbia, Brazil, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the UAE.

● Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (€90 million, +€10 million) is now among the three most valuable players in the French football league, alongside Ousmane Dembélé (+€15 million) and 20-year-old Désiré Doué (+€30 million), who was named best player of the Champions League final.

● “Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation with African countries, including Kenya,” said Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov during his ongoing visit to the country, where he held meetings with the president, prime minister, and foreign minister. The president of Kenya has been invited to pay a state visit to Azerbaijan.

● Jeyhun Bayramov took part in the opening ceremony of the Azerbaijani embassy in Kenya (pictured).

● Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the US, Khazar Ibrahim, said in an interview with Diplomatic Watch: “Azerbaijan has long maintained close cooperation with the US and Israel, which has contributed to strengthening security in the South Caucasus and beyond. Developing trilateral cooperation is in the interest of all three countries, and Baku is committed to further deepening it.”

● Khazar Ibrahim also stated that “Azerbaijan hopes for the early signing of a peace agreement with Armenia. However, there are very serious issues that need to be resolved before signing. One important point is that Armenia’s constitution still contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan. There cannot be lasting peace if Armenia’s fundamental law contradicts it. Therefore, constitutional amendments are necessary. Azerbaijan also demands the formal dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, which would demonstrate that the conflict is truly over and that we are moving toward a more peaceful region.” The Minsk Group, co-chaired by the US, Russia, and France, facilitated negotiations over the Karabakh conflict since the 1990s.

● Arrest warrants have been issued for seven more Azerbaijani bloggers living abroad who are openly critical of the Azerbaijani government on social media. The list includes Gabil Mammadov, Mahammad Mirzali, Gurban Mammadov, Suleyman Suleymanli, Imammeddin Alimanov, Elshad Mammadov, and Orkhan Aghayev. They are all accused of anti-state activities and inciting mass unrest. Some are also charged with disclosing state secrets, fraud, and other crimes. The bloggers deny the allegations and claim they are being persecuted for their critical statements. More on the criminal cases against dozens of Azerbaijani bloggers in exile here.

● The trial of Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian citizen and former state minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, who is currently in pre-trial detention, has continued. He is charged with torture, mercenarism, war crimes, terrorism, and other offenses. According to AZERTAC, Vardanyan asked the court to provide his family with a copy of the indictment. However, the court stated that the documents constitute investigative secrecy and cannot be disclosed. Vardanyan then filed an appeal against the panel of judges. After review, the court found the appeal insufficient and dismissed it. New testimonies from victims were also heard at the hearing. The next court session is scheduled for June 10.

● “More than 3,400 people have fallen victim to landmines planted by Armenia on Azerbaijani territory. This figure covers the period from 1991 to June 1, 2025. Since November 2020 alone, 70 people have died and 328 have been injured in mine explosions,” said Rahib Guliyev, a senior official at the Azerbaijani mine clearance agency (ANAMA), as reported by AZERTAC. He noted that the accuracy of the minefield maps provided by Armenia is only about 25%.

● New flight routes have been launched from Nakhchivan and Ganja to Istanbul.

● Hurricane-force winds knocked down at least 38 trees in Baku.

● Georgia’s minister of agriculture will arrive in Yerevan on June 6 with preliminary proposals on how to resolve the issue of transiting Armenian brandy through Georgian territory, according to Armenian economy minister Gevorg Papoyan. Armenian producers are outraged by the obstacles and prolonged delays initiated by the Georgian authorities and have been holding protests for a long time.

● “Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan violates standards of public conduct when he addresses high-ranking clergy in a brazen manner and attempts to interfere in matters of church self-governance, which are protected by law. Another complaint has been submitted to the Corruption Prevention Commission in this regard,” lawyer Ara Zograbyan wrote on social media. More on the conflict between the church and Pashinyan’s government here.

● Former deputy prime minister Armen Gevorgyan (who served between 2000–2018) has been charged with laundering more than $12 million. According to the case materials, he purchased 39 properties with illegally obtained funds, registering them under the names of relatives. In addition, he allegedly registered 10 properties in the Czech Republic in the names of his relatives, worth a total of $920,000. The case is being transferred to court.

● “Two Israelis showed disrespect toward the Armenian Apostolic Church by spitting at the entrance to the Armenian cathedral in Jerusalem,” reported local Armenian community representative Gegam Balyan on social media. The incident occurred at night during the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. Members of the Armenian community called the police, but officers arrived 25 minutes later, by which time the offenders had fled the scene.

● “It appears that certain foreign power centers contacted Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan of the Armenian Apostolic Church and urged him to pursue regime change in Armenia. In that case, I have no choice but to call the Sacred Movement he leads an attempted coup d’état,” said deputy speaker of parliament Ruben Rubinyan in response to Galstanyan’s recent statements. Speaking live on May 30, Galstanyan said: “Various geopolitical power centers told me that Armenia is being turned into a territory where size doesn’t matter — a place for LGBT reproduction, where borders and national values are irrelevant. Armenia will become a transit corridor, a haven for drug addicts, a money-laundering zone — unless you carry out regime change in your country, they told me.”

● The ruling party Georgian Dream has filed complaints against opposition TV channels — TV Pirveli, Formula, and Mtavari Arkhi — for using terms such as “oligarch,” “Ivanishvili regime,” “political prisoners,” “illegitimate parliament,” “Russification,” “judicial clan,” and “repressions.” The Communications Commission now accuses the broadcasters of violating provisions of the amended Law on Broadcasting. Read more here

● “What’s next?” wrote TV Pirveli’s news director Nodar Meladze on Facebook.
“1. A warning
2. A fine
3. Being taken off the air.”

Meladze also said Georgian Dream is pressuring the advertising market: “Many companies have stopped advertising with us. One major Georgian brand terminated its contract months before it was due to expire on December 31. This is clear evidence of pressure. With our audience growing and ratings at an all-time high, why would advertisers suddenly pull out?”

The amendments to the broadcasting law were passed in April, alongside other legislative initiatives widely viewed by the opposition, civil society, and international observers as part of Georgian Dream’s campaign to stifle dissent. The new rules ban broadcasters from receiving foreign funding — even in the form of social advertising — and impose content standards for programming, websites, and social media. The Communications Commission now has sweeping powers to sanction perceived violations.

● “It’s obvious why Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream is going after critical media – they don’t want people hearing the truth about what’s happening in Georgia and beyond,” said Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia. “Their version of ‘neutrality’ means ‘stay silent.’”

● Meanwhile, Mediachecker reports that the Communications Commission has permitted Season TV to broadcast in Russian in addition to Georgian. The channel is fully owned by businessman Giorgi Kandelaki, known for making public statements in support of Stalin.

● Deputy Interior Minister Ioseb Chelidze has resigned, according to the ministry’s press office, cited by Mtavari. No reason was provided. His resignation comes just days after Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri unexpectedly stepped down, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.

● Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the arrest of opposition leader Nika Melia from the Coalition for Change and called on Georgian Dream to “cease the ongoing crackdown against civil society and opposition in Georgia”. “Our solidarity goes to the Georgian people standing for European values,” the ministry said in a statement on X. Melia was arrested for refusing to appear before a parliamentary commission established by the ruling party to investigate alleged crimes by the former government. Read more here

● Two protestors, 26-year-old Guram Khutashvili and 23-year-old Daniel Mumladze, have been sentenced to three years in prison for damaging surveillance cameras during a protest in Tbilisi. According to their lawyers, both men pleaded guilty under a procedural agreement, expecting a suspended sentence. However, the prosecution reportedly reneged, and they only learned of the prison terms at the court hearing.

●  Georgia is experiencing a demographic decline: deaths now outnumber births. In 2014, around 60,000 children were born. By 2024, that figure had dropped by 20,517. The birth rate continues to fall by approximately 2,000 children each year.

Photo by David Pipia / JAMnews

●The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has condemned the Prime Minister’s remarks about the clergy, calling them “yet another campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church” and urging “competent state authorities to put an end to the Prime Minister’s unlawful policy.” “The use of vulgar language in public statements violates fundamental human rights… The Prime Minister’s behavior is fraught with destructive consequences and poses a threat to Armenian statehood… In many ways, such rhetoric echoes the anti-Armenian narratives and accusations spread by Azerbaijani propaganda,” the Church’s statement reads.

Previously, Nikol Pashinyan published a highly critical — and at times profane — series of posts on social media targeting Armenian clergy. He also argued that Armenia should have a decisive say in electing the Catholicos of All Armenians, with candidates undergoing integrity checks. Read more here

● “Nikol has crossed the red line!” — a protest demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation and expressing support for the Church was held outside the Government Building in Yerevan.

● Vazgen Manukyan, the first Prime Minister of independent Armenia (1990–91), also condemned the “campaign against the Church.” “As a millennia-old spiritual institution, the Armenian Apostolic Church commands exceptional respect among the Armenian people. The current authorities, having completely lost public support, are trying to dismantle every institution of credibility,” he said.

● A French consulate has opened in Goris.

● A group of individuals was arrested in Armenia for attempting to distribute 1.9 kg of methamphetamine via social media, according to the Investigative Committee.

● Bribery and complicity in unlawful activities: two employees of the Shengavit district administration in Yerevan were arrested. According to the Anti-Corruption Committee, the officials received over $1,500 from the owner of an entertainment center who had been evading taxes. The pretrial investigation has been completed; one official is in custody, while the other has been placed under house arrest.

● “We must help Armenia strengthen its security so that it has sufficient military capacity to defend its borders,” said French Senator Gilbert-Luc Devinaz at the 5th Armenia–France Decentralized Cooperation Conference.

● Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan: “Armenia is taking steps to prevent further escalation.”

● Armenia has banned the import of 213 tons of watermelons due to excessive nitrate levels, according to the Food Safety Inspection Authority.

●  A group of activists attempted to hold a protest in Baku over the mysterious death of 18-year-old Elgun Ibrahimov in Ganja. The protest was dispersed by police (video below). According to the activists, 63 people were detained, many of whom were subjected to violence, abuse, and threats while in custody. Read more here

●  At a court hearing on June 2, following the completion of an investigation, formal charges were filed against four more journalists and activists detained in the so-called “ToplumTV case”: journalist Mushfig Jabbbarov, Institute for Democratic Initiatives staff members Ali Zeynalli and Ramil Babayev, and the founder of the Third Republic Platform, Ruslan Izzetli. The charges include smuggling, money laundering on a large scale, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, hiring employees without official contracts, and more. Previously, the same charges had been brought against two others in the case: ToplumTV founder and media law expert Alesker Mamedli, and Akif Gurbanov, head of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives and spokesperson for the Third Republic Platform. All of the accused deny the allegations and say they are being persecuted for their professional and civic activities. The charges carry a potential sentence of up to 12 years in prison under Azerbaijan’s criminal code. Charges against three more defendants — journalists Farid Ismayilov, Elmir Abbasov, and Ilkin Amrakhov — are scheduled to be formally presented at the next court session on June 23.

Since November 2023, over 30 journalists and civic activists have been arrested in Azerbaijan on group smuggling charges.

●  From June 2 to 4, Baku is hosting the 30th International Conference of Baku Energy Week, with representatives from 267 companies across 39 countries in attendance. Discussions are focusing on global and regional energy challenges, new opportunities, and long-term prospects in the sector.

●  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a message to participants of Baku Energy Week, stressing the strategic importance of Turkey and Azerbaijan in ensuring Europe’s energy security. He recalled several major infrastructure projects: the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku–Tbilisi–Erzurum gas pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP), and the Igdir–Nakhchivan gas pipeline. Erdoğan also noted that in April, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Bulgaria signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a “green energy corridor.” “We now have a major opportunity to deepen this cooperation — particularly through the export of Turkmen gas via Azerbaijan and Turkey in a way that benefits all parties,” he said.

●  Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov is currently on an official visit to Kenya. He is expected to take part today in the opening ceremony of Azerbaijan’s embassy in the country.

● The trial of several former leaders of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic continues. They face charges including war crimes, terrorism, attempts to overthrow the government, and other serious offenses. According to the state-run AZERTAC news agency, the latest hearing presented detailed records and expert reports on civilian casualties and damage to Azerbaijan’s civilian infrastructure during the 44-day war in 2020. The next hearing is scheduled for June 5.

●  The Russian sports channel “Match TV” has been taken off the air in Azerbaijan due to its lack of a local broadcasting license. Local media report that Match TV had been operating in Azerbaijan since 2015.

● A plane carrying a group of deported Georgian nationals has arrived in Tbilisi from the U.S. The exact number is unknown, but footage from the scene shows at least two dozen people. The deportations come amid Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to expel millions of undocumented migrants. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as of November 2024, 833 Georgian citizens were on deportation lists.

●  On May 31, Georgia’s new Foreign Agents Registration Act took effect. Authorities claim it is modeled on the U.S. FARA, though critics say it mirrors Russian-style restrictions. Unlike the previous version, the new law applies to individuals as well as organizations and imposes penalties of up to five years in prison for non-compliance.

●  Georgian Dream’s PM Irakli Kobakhidze has vowed to fully enforce the law. “We’ve seen four attempts at foreign-funded revolutions in the last four years,” he said. “This law on transparency, which has no alternative, is our response to such threats.”

●  “Georgia’s Foreign Agents Registration Act marks a serious setback for the country’s democracy. Alongside recent laws on broadcasting and grants, it represents another aggressive action by the Georgian authorities to suppress dissent, restrict freedoms, and further shrink the space for activists, civil society, and independent media,” reads a joint statement by Joint Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas and Commissioner Marta Kos. “The responsibility lies solely with the Georgian authorities.”

●  Norway’s foreign ministry echoed the EU’s concerns, calling the law “another serious setback for Georgian democracy.” In a post on X, it warned that “repressive measures threaten the survival of Georgia’s democratic foundations and its citizens’ future in a free and open society.”

●  “The Church has become a political actor — and that is a great loss,” said Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili. According to her, “Georgian Dream has managed to divide three key pillars of national unity: the Church, culture, and sport, by politicizing all of them”.

●  Another civil servant has reportedly lost her job for supporting pro-European protests. Nata Bolkvadze, a senior analyst in the customs risk department, says she was fired after being fined for attending demonstrations. She wrote on Facebook that “since May 2, the tax service updated its internal regulations to allow disciplinary action for virtually any reason.”

●  Khatia Gogoberidze, editor-in-chief of the media outlet Aprili, was fined 5,000 GEL (about $1,800) for allegedly blocking Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue — the main site of ongoing pro-European protests now in their seventh month. Gogoberidze insists she was on the scene for professional reasons.

●  Former Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri has been awarded the Order of Vakhtang Gorgasali, 1st Class — one of Georgia’s highest state honors. The award was presented during Police Day celebrations in Tbilisi. Gomelauri resigned unexpectedly on May 28, citing family reasons. He is under U.S., UK, and Baltic sanctions for the violent crackdown on peaceful protests in late 2024.

At the “Dry Bridge” street market in Tbilisi:

● Azadeh Rojhan, the leading rapporteur on political prisoners for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has called on the Azerbaijani authorities to urgently review the 18-year prison sentence handed down to ethnic researcher Igbal Abilov. The scholar was accused of high treason for alleged cooperation with Armenia and incitement of hatred. He strongly denies the charges and claims he is being politically persecuted. “These accusations stem from his professional academic exchanges with Armenian scholars. As a historian and ethnographer, Abilov conducted research on the history and culture of the Talysh minority. Academic freedom is protected under the right to freedom of expression, and researchers must be safeguarded from political interference,” Rojhan stated. She also called for the release of other individuals — human rights defenders and journalists — who have been arrested for exercising their right to freedom of expression. More details on Igbal Abilov’s case here

●“His prosecution appears to stem from professional academic exchanges with Armenian scholars. As a historian and ethnographer, Abilov conducted research on the history and culture of the Talysh minority. Academic freedom is protected under the right to freedom of expression, and researchers must be shielded from political interference,” Rojhan stated, also urging the release of other detainees — including human rights defenders and journalists — imprisoned for exercising free speech.

●  Hikmet Hajiyev, aide to the President of Azerbaijan, once again accused Armenia of “deliberately and extensively laying mines on Azerbaijani territories during the occupation.”

“Since 2020, nearly 400 Azerbaijani citizens have fallen victim to landmine explosions. In many cases, mines were planted with no military necessity — purely to harm civilians and to deliberately delay the safe return of internally displaced persons to their native lands. In this context, mines have effectively become weapons of mass destruction and pose a serious threat,” Hajiyev wrote on X.

●  Saleh Samedov, chair of the Council of Elders in the Imishli district, has been arrested after appearing at a May 9 Victory Day event with a Soviet flag and wearing the St. George’s ribbon — a symbol of the Russian Empire banned in many countries as an emblem of aggression.

●  Azerbaijan’s national mini-football team defeated Hungary in the final to win the World Championship, which was held in Baku (pictured below).

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is facing backlash over remarks perceived as attacks on the Armenian Apostolic Church. He first caused controversy by stating that “some churches have turned into storage closets,” adding: “You walk into a church and see garbage, someone’s old clothes, someone’s shoes… How long can we keep being so fake?” He later reportedly used vulgar language in reference to a bishop. Several media outlets and public figures are now calling for the Ethics Commission to review the Prime Minister’s comments.

●  “Give Childhood Back to Karabakh’s Children” — a protest under this slogan was held outside government villas in Yerevan on International Children’s Day. One of the protest signs read: “Judas, how many silver coins did you sell my children’s homeland for?” “June 1 is not a holiday in Armenia — it’s a reminder of how unprotected our children are and how incapable the state is of defending them. Anyone who failed to protect our children must resign,” said one of the demonstrators.

● In the meantime, Prime Minister Pashinyan marked his 50th birthday. He received congratulations from Russian President Vladimir Putin, and according to official reports, the two leaders held a phone conversation to discuss bilateral relations and the regional situation.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 26-30 May, 2025