The Region in Brief

Armenia

At approximately 6:20 a.m. on January 9, one day following the winter conscription of military service personnel, the body of contract soldier Karen Arayik Karapetyan was discovered at a combat position within the guard station of a military unit affiliated with the Armenian Ministry of Defense. The soldier was found with a gunshot wound. Preliminary information suggests that the gunshot was inflicted by a conscript soldier on duty at the combat station. Subsequently, criminal proceedings were initiated by the Fifth Garrison Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee, pursuant to Article 155, Part 1 of the RA Criminal Code, to comprehensively determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.

At 11:30 a.m. on the same day, the body of Senior Lieutenant Mikael Samvel Danielyan was discovered with a gunshot wound inside the guard station of the N military unit associated with the MoD of Armenia. “An ongoing investigation is actively seeking to comprehensively elucidate the circumstances surrounding this incident,” the MoD said.

Artsakh

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Republic of Armenia, Argishti Kyaramyan, said that 23 Armenian prisoners remain illegally detained in Baku, 17 of whom were detained after September’s attack on Artsakh. Among those captured in September 2023, eight were previously part of the military-political leadership of Artsakh. Additionally, the Central Committee of the Republic of Armenia possesses information regarding the forced disappearance of 32 individuals during the 2020 Artsakh War. However, Azerbaijan has refuted claims of disappearances. According to human rights attorney Siranush Sahakyan, Baku is using Armenian prisoners as leverage for political and territorial concessions from Armenia. Contrary to Kyaramyan’s figures, Sahakyan has documented 80 unconfirmed prisoners held by Azerbaijan. Additionally, Sahakyan said that 18 individuals, not 17 as stated by Kyaramyan, were captured in 2023, with two civilians abducted in July near the Lachin checkpoint.

Turkey

The upcoming meeting between the Presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is currently in the preparation phase. According to sources within the Turkish administration cited by RIA Novosti, diplomatic channels are being utilized to finalize the details of the meeting. However, the specific date and location of the meeting have not been confirmed yet. This gathering comes after Putin revealed his intentions to meet Erdogan at the outset of 2024. 

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Hoory Minoyan

Hoory Minoyan was an active member of the Armenian community in Los Angeles until she moved to Armenia prior to the 44-day war. She graduated with a master's in International Affairs from Boston University, where she was also the recipient of the William R. Keylor Travel Grant. The research and interviews she conducted while in Armenia later became the foundation of her Master’s thesis, “Shaping Identity Through Conflict: The Armenian Experience.” Hoory continues to follow her passion for research and writing by contributing to the Armenian Weekly.

Latest posts by Hoory Minoyan (see all)

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