Following Azerbaijani shelling and artillery strikes that began on September 27, the population in the Karabakh’s capital of Stepanakert has been sheltering in basements. CivilNet’s team has been traveling through the basements to speak with these families. What is their current outlook? What do the children have to say about war and peace?
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Relatives of missing persons block major Yerevan street protesting security
By Alexander Pracht Since Wednesday afternoon, relatives of persons missing due to hostilities with Azerbaijan have blocked Yerevan’s Baghramyan Avenue in both directions, voicing alarm over the dismissal of National Security Service (NSS) Director Armen Abazyan, who had been directly involved in their cases. The former NSS chief, who led the agency since 2020 and also chaired the government commission on missing persons, was dismissed Wednesday morning. Protesters say he had promised to stand by them “until the end” and fear his removal will stall progress on identifying the fate of the missing. The families are now calling for a […]
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The War on Iran and the famous “Weapons of Mass
By Vicken Cheterian The article was initially published on Agos.com The war against Iran might not be for preventing nuclear weapons in Iran, as the war against Iraq was not about Saddam’s “weapons of mass destruction”. But the Israeli intention is clearly declared by Netanyahu: the destruction of the Islamic Republic, and its replacement with a decentralised entities something like Iraq or Syria today. If the US invasion of Iraq unleashed two decades of wars and disasters and led to the creation of a monster like Daesh the destruction of the Iranian state will be no less than a civilizational […]
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Tatar festivities in the heart of Yerevan
In the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a growing number of Tatars have made Armenia their home. But even far from their homeland on the Volga, traditions live on. This video captures Sabantui, the Tatar spring festival, as celebrated by Yerevan’s newcomers, blending ancient customs with new surroundings.
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Countering Foreign Interference or Undermining Democratic Norms? The Case of
By Tigran Grigoryan and Aram Tadevosyan On June 17, Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, number 928 on the Forbes list, criticized the Armenian government’s campaign against the church and stated: “Since I have always stood by the Armenian Church and the Armenian people, I will be directly involved. If the politicians fail, then we will participate in all of this in our own way.” His comments were immediately followed by a harsh response from Prime Minister Pashinyan, who wrote on Facebook: “Why have the licentious ‘clergymen’ and their licentious ‘philanthropists’ become so active? No worries—we’ll neutralize them again. This time, permanently.” […]
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Iranians Are Coming to Armenia
The Armenian-Iranian border is crowded, with the flow of Iranian citizens to Armenia ongoing for multiple days now. They are worried about their relatives who remained in Iran. In conversations with CivilNet, Iranians share their concerns and describe their experiences.
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Armenia prepares contingency plans amid rising Iran-Israel tensions
By Zhanna Avagyan Armenia is developing contingency plans to address potential social and economic consequences stemming from escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan said during a parliamentary Q&A session on June 18. “All potential issues are under daily monitoring,” Grigoryan noted. “Yes, we are considering refugee flows, logistical disruptions, and energy issues. These scenarios might be needed at a given moment—or not at all—but they must be ready.” He emphasized the importance of a coordinated and preemptive approach, including preparations for temporary housing, population movement, and social assistance frameworks. Grigoryan assured lawmakers that the issue […]
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Economists warn Armenia’s planned power grid nationalization threatens investment climate
By Elen Muradyan Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s announcement that the government plans to nationalize the Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA), is deeply concerning, say economists who warn the move could severely damage the country’s investment appeal and international reputation. The statement Wednesday targets ENA, Armenia’s main power distribution company and a strategic asset ultimately owned by Russian-based Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan. The company was acquired in 2015 by Karapetyan’s Tashir Group from the Russian state-owned Inter RAO. Also read: Pashinyan calls to nationalize electricity network after arrest of billionaire critic The timing of the nationalization proposal, coming just a […]
