Latest news in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, summary. Live

● Giorgi Bachiashvili, the former CEO of the Georgian Co-Investment Fund and once part of the inner circle of oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili – widely seen as Georgia’s shadow ruler – has been detained after secretly fleeing the country. The state security service said the arrest was made possible by an anonymous tip. Bachiashvili is accused of embezzling a large sum of money and laundering illicit income. A court had earlier ordered him to pay Ivanishvili up to 9,000 bitcoins (approximately \$860 million). He denied the charges, claimed political persecution, and managed to secretly leave Georgia, alleging that Ivanishvili had ordered his assassination. In March, a court sentenced him in absentia to 11 years in prison, and he was placed on a wanted list. The court ruled that the value of the bitcoins would be recovered from Bachiashvili’s seized assets in Georgia. He now also faces charges of illegal border crossing, which carries a sentence of 3 to 5 years.

● Thousands marched across Georgia on Independence Day in support of the country’s European integration. A major rally in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi demanded new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners. For context, here’s a brief overview of Georgia’s modern history: 34 years since the restoration of independence — a timeline from 1991 to 2025 highlighting all key events.

● Georgian Dream parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili called the joint statement by the leaders of France, Poland, and Germany “a shameful attack on the people of Georgia on their national holiday.” The European leaders had expressed support for the Georgian people’s democratic and European aspirations but “strongly condemned the actions of the Georgian authorities that undermine democratic norms, as well as attacks on civil society, the media, and government critics.” Their statement read: “Freedom of expression and assembly must be protected. Reports of excessive use of force require thorough investigation. Laws that contradict European standards must be reconsidered, and urgently needed reforms must resume. Georgian authorities should restore dialogue with the opposition and civil society. The people of Georgia must not be deprived of the opportunities the European path provides.”

● Italian parties Italia Viva, Azione, Partito Democratico, Forza Italia, and individual senators have introduced a resolution in the Italian Senate calling on the government to condemn the repressive actions of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s regime and to impose sanctions on members and supporters of Georgian Dream.

● Fifth president Salome Zourabichvili on the upcoming municipal elections scheduled for October: “First, parliamentary elections must be held — only then the local ones. Or, at the very least, they should be held simultaneously. That requires new rules, which we proposed as part of our ‘Resistance Platform.’ No single party can achieve anything alone. Georgian Dream is trying to divide the opposition. We must not allow that.” Two commentaries present arguments for and against the opposition actively participating in the municipal elections.

● Salome Zourabichvili has been awarded Moldova’s highest honor — the Order of the Republic. Moldovan president Maia Sandu personally presented it “in recognition of the Georgian people’s firm commitment to Europe.”

● The Tbilisi Open Air 2025 music festival has concluded. It effectively became a manifestation of Georgia’s pro-European protest. Photos and videos here.

Photo: Giorgi Bachiashvili

● France plans to open a consular agency in Goris, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced at a press conference in Yerevan. He noted that the upcoming fifth “Decentralized Cooperation” conference in Goris highlights the importance of Armenian-French cooperation. Barrot also stressed that “signing a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan is extremely important, as this region is a communication hub for Europe.”

● Slovakia is offering Armenia cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. Since both countries use the same type of reactors, they could join efforts in dealing with spent nuclear fuel, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said at a press conference in Yerevan.

● The president of Iran will visit Armenia, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters in Yerevan.

●  “There will be no new war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, despite any provocations,” said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

● Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Georgia’s Independence Day. “Developing relations with Georgia is one of Armenia’s foreign policy priorities. Yerevan values Tbilisi’s steps toward Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization,” the message said.

● A protest took place outside the French embassy in Yerevan, where citizens expressed dissatisfaction with EU involvement in South Caucasus affairs. “In 2022, when Artsakh was recognized as part of Azerbaijan in Prague, friendly France did nothing to at least keep the status issue of Nagorno-Karabakh open. What are the Europeans really after here, on the border with Iran, in Armenia — a military ally of Russia?” said Hayk Ayvazyan, head of the Luys Information and Education Center.

● Edgar Grigoryan, who took part in the November 2020 storming of government buildings, has been charged with stealing $590,000 from the Investigative Committee building. Grigoryan is involved in the criminal case over mass unrest in Yerevan on the night of November 10, 2020, following the signing of the trilateral statement (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia) that ended the Second Karabakh War. According to public television, Grigoryan accessed the premises using a pass provided by GOR Tadevosyan, head of the economic crimes and anti-smuggling department, along with keys to the office and safe where the money was stored.

● The oldest resident of Yerevan — 104-year-old Grigor A. — died in a traffic accident in the suburbs of the capital, according to the crime news website Shamshyan.com.

● “The position voiced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on May 26 during the ‘Yerevan Dialogue’ not only shows Armenia’s unwillingness to amend its Constitution to eliminate territorial claims, but also raises questions about the country’s commitment to peace,” said Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizade. He also emphasized:

• “The claim that the dissolution of the Minsk Group, which Azerbaijan demands, allegedly aims to ‘shift the conflict onto Armenia’s sovereign territory’ is a clear manipulation. Yerevan is trying to create the impression that the conflict is unresolved and that the Minsk Group should be preserved.”

• “The prime minister’s statements about ‘Western Azerbaijan’ are a distortion of facts and an open denial of the rights of Azerbaijanis who once made up a significant part of Armenia’s population. References to the Western Azerbaijan community are not territorial claims. It is a matter of human rights — the intention to ensure the peaceful, safe, and dignified return of Azerbaijanis who were subjected to ethnic cleansing by Armenia.”

• “Opening transport routes in the region is fully in line with Azerbaijan’s goals of regional cooperation and economic integration and cannot be viewed as disrespecting Armenia’s sovereignty. However, Yerevan’s proposals for complex transit routes delay progress and contradict its own statements about the importance of regional cooperation.”

● No negotiations between representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan are planned in Moscow, said Russian Security Council deputy secretary Alexey Shevtsov. However, both delegations are invited to attend a meeting of high-level security officials on May 27–29, as well as the regular working session of CIS countries scheduled for the same dates.

● “Ukraine is ready to become a key energy hub for Azerbaijan in Europe,” said Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, commenting on his visit to Baku. “Like the EU, we view Azerbaijan as a key contributor to Europe’s energy security. We are ready to support this through our expertise in transit and our gas storage facilities, the largest in Europe. Azerbaijan is a crucial partner for Ukraine’s sustainable development, primarily in the energy sector, but also for achieving a just and lasting peace. Now is the time to give this partnership new momentum, particularly at the highest political level,” he said.

● A two-day international conference titled “Islamophobia: Unmasking Bias and Breaking Stigmas” is taking place in Baku. Over 100 scholars, religious figures, and civil society representatives from around 40 countries are participating. The event marks the third anniversary of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

● The Turkish president’s office in Ankara hosted a reception in honor of Azerbaijan’s Independence Day, celebrated on May 28.

● On May 26, the trial began for Anar Mammadli, head of the Center for Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies, who has been in custody for over a year. He is being tried along with activist Anar Abdulla, arrested on May 20 after the investigation concluded. Mammadli is accused of smuggling, which he denies, claiming political persecution for monitoring elections and preparing independent reports. This is Mammadli’s second prosecution. He previously served a 5.5-year sentence starting in late 2013 for alleged tax evasion and was released by a pardon in March 2016. Several local and international organizations have recognized him as a political prisoner. The next hearing is scheduled for June 2. Since November 2023, more than 30 journalists and activists in Azerbaijan have been arrested on smuggling charges. All claim they are being persecuted for critical reporting on the authorities.

● President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree pardoning 220 individuals. Of those, 175 were released from serving the remainder of their sentences, while the others had their sentences halved. Among the pardoned was French citizen Théo Clerc Hugo, sentenced in September 2024 to three years in prison for entering a Baku metro tunnel and painting graffiti on trains. A total of 16 foreign nationals were pardoned. No political prisoners were included — as was the case with last year’s amnesty. According to local human rights organizations, over 350 political prisoners remain in Azerbaijani prisons.

● The trial continues for a group of former leaders of the former unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh republic. They are accused of war crimes, terrorism, attempted coup, and other serious offenses. According to the pro-government agency AZERTAC, a prosecutor presented protocols related to mass graves discovered in territories previously under Armenian control. “Preliminary findings indicate that at least some captives were deliberately killed through torture and inhumane treatment,” he said. It was also reported that many prisoners and hostages were freed through efforts by Azerbaijan and international bodies, and some were ransomed by relatives. Witnesses testified about killings, abuse, and torture they endured or witnessed during captivity. The trial will continue on May 29.

● The Central Election Commission announced the completion of voter list verification. Azerbaijan now has 6,302,093 registered voters, including 28,390 newly eligible to vote. However, analysts note discrepancies with previous figures released by the CEC: end of 2024 (before January’s municipal elections): 5,876,428 voters; February 2024 (ahead of the snap presidential election): 6,478,623 voters; May 2024: 6,326,764 voters. Opposition voices are calling for an independent and objective audit of the voter lists.

● Today, Georgia celebrates Independence Day. Festive events will take place on Freedom Square in Tbilisi, and military equipment and weapons exhibitions will be held in various cities. A demonstration flight by military aircraft has also been announced.

● Under the slogan “This is our day,” several marches will take place today in honor of Independence Day, organized by participants of the ongoing six-month-long pro-European protests. Their demands remain unchanged: to hold new parliamentary elections as a legal means to change power in the country, and to release political prisoners.

● The “Resistance Platform” founded by Georgia’s 5th president, Salome Zourabichvili, has denied claims made by authorities suggesting that the opposition is planning provocations on Independence Day. “The only force staging provocations is the illegitimate Russian regime of \[oligarch] Ivanishvili,” the statement said.

● The monarchs of the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands, as well as the leaders of China and Kazakhstan, have congratulated Georgian Dream’s president Mikheil Kavelashvili on Georgia’s Independence Day.

● In honor of Georgia’s Independence Day, the Georgian flag was ceremonially raised over San Francisco City Hall in California.

● The “Lelo – Strong Georgia” coalition has blamed Georgian Dream for Saturday’s attack in Tbilisi on Grigol Gegelia, the party’s secretary for foreign affairs. “Georgian Dream is a force that incites hatred toward political opponents and protects criminal elements,” the statement reads.

● Over the weekend, six foreign nationals—citizens of Nigeria, Bangladesh, Iran, Turkey, and Russia—were detained and will be deported for being in the country illegally, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

● Georgian musician Erekle Getsadze staged a provocative performance at the Tbilisi Open Air music festival over the weekend. Videos circulating on social media show Getsadze throwing a Russian flag onto the stage, stuffing it into a plastic bag, and pretending to urinate on it. The performance sparked outrage in Russian media, and Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram that Russian law enforcement would “give an appropriate assessment of the incident.” Video below from Instagram / Nino Dvali.

Georgian singer sparks outrage in Russia with onstage flag performance

Georgian singer Erekle Getsadze sparked outrage in Russia after performing a provocative act involving the Russian flag during his set at the Tbilisi Open Air music festival.

Videos shared on social media… pic.twitter.com/0NH8DSf77L

— JAMnews (@JAMnewsCaucasus) May 25, 2025

● Ukrainian foreign minister Andriy Sybiha is on an official visit to Baku. At a joint press conference, Azerbaijani foreign minister Jeyhun Bayramov stated: “Relations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine are of a strategic partnership nature. Azerbaijan has always recognized Ukraine’s territorial integrity. When Azerbaijani lands were under occupation, Ukraine also recognized our territorial integrity. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, now in its third year, has negatively affected economic ties between Baku and Kyiv. However, in 2024, there has been a 30% increase. So far, Azerbaijan has provided over \$40 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.”

● A parliamentary delegation from Egypt, led by Senate speaker Abdel Wahab Abdel Razek, is currently in Baku on an official visit.

● Azadeh Rojhan, rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on political prisoners, has urged Azerbaijani authorities to urgently review the charges against Igbal Abilov, a researcher of Talysh culture sentenced to 18 years in prison for treason. “The charges are based on his professional academic exchanges with Armenian scholars. Academic freedom is protected under the right to freedom of expression, and scholars must be shielded from political interference,” Rojhan stated. She also called for the release of human rights defenders and journalists imprisoned for exercising their right to free expression. More on Abilov’s case here

● The Talysh Public Council of Azerbaijan (ATİŞ) has protested the sentence handed down to Igbal Abilov. “His only ‘crime’ is studying the historical and cultural heritage of the Talysh people. On May 20, he was sentenced, and the very next day, on May 21, a Talysh folklore evening was organized in Baku, as if to portray a celebration of his unjust arrest. \[…] The folklore and heritage of the Talysh people must not be used to justify repression. We call on the public, international organizations, and human rights institutions not to remain indifferent to Igbal Abilov’s fate.”

● “For the second year in a row, I mark my birthday in a 4-square-meter prison cell, despite having committed no crime and without a court verdict against me. This is the ‘price’ of speaking out against attacks on media freedom, of my journalistic integrity, and my lifelong dedication—over 30 years—to human rights,” wrote jailed media law expert and ToplumTV founder Alesker Mammadli in a letter published by Meydan TV. “I am deeply disappointed that young journalists who uphold professional integrity and uncompromising principles are being ‘punished,’ held in prison, and threatened with 11–12-year sentences. I firmly believe in the innocence of the arrested journalists from AbzasMedia, Toplum TV, Meydan TV, and others. Thanks to the unity of the Azerbaijani people, the 30-year-long issue of Karabakh has been resolved. The occupiers have been expelled, and sovereignty has been restored. Now there is an urgent need for social peace and humanity. We must listen to the new challenges and turn a new page,” Mammadli wrote.

● Prominent activist Nidjat Amiraslanov has been sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention. He was charged with petty hooliganism after distributing flyers demanding a fair investigation into the death of teenager Elgun Ibrahimov in Ganja. Pro-government media claim it was a suicide, but the family insists he was beaten to death—possibly by police officers. Social media users accuse the prosecutor’s office of failing to conduct a serious investigation.

● Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei reportedly plans to reopen his office in Azerbaijan, according to the “Free Iran” Telegram channel, citing sources within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Photo: According to Azerbaijan’s state news agency AZERTAC, minister Sybiha visited the grave of Azerbaijani national hero of Ukrainian origin Viktor Seryogin at the Alley of Martyrs, laid flowers at the monument to Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, and planted a tree in the park where the monument is located.

● Slovak prime minister Robert Fico has arrived in Yerevan for a two-day official visit.

● The international conference “Yerevan Dialogue 2025” is kicking off in the Armenian capital. This year’s theme is “A Journey Through the Unknown.” The event will focus on global geopolitical trends, prospects for peace and security, growing economic contradictions, and regional cooperation, including the expansion of trade. Discussions will also explore ways to “live in harmony with nature,” including priorities for upcoming UN-led environmental summits. Another key topic is the impact of artificial intelligence on various spheres of life.

● The son of Charles Aznavour, the French-Armenian chanson singer, has addressed a message to Ruben Vardanyan, former state minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. “Your courage continues to inspire many of us. Today you face one of the most difficult chapters of your life. Our thoughts are with you and your family more than ever,” wrote Nicolas Aznavour.

● The body of a two-year-old child has been found in the Marmarik River on the 20th day of a search operation. The boy went missing on the morning of May 4.

● A 16-year-old boy was fatally struck by a train in the southwest of Armenia near the village of Jrarrat. Reports say the teenager was walking with his back to the train. The driver immediately sounded the horn and applied emergency brakes, but was unable to prevent the accident.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 19-23 May, 2025