The Region in Brief

Armenia

International law specialist and human rights defender Siranush Sahakyan said that Azerbaijan has repatriated approximately 210 Armenian detainees to Armenia, while 23 remain imprisoned in Azerbaijan. “As of 2020, there are five Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan, two of whom are classified as prisoners of war, with the remaining cases stemming from incidents in 2023,” Sahakyan said. Sahakyan expressed concerns about the judicial process concerning Armenian prisoners of war, who are tried in Baku by judges influenced by political directives favoring Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, raising questions about adherence to international human rights standards.

Artsakh

Armenia’s State Revenue Committee reported that out of 120,000 forcibly displaced people from Artsakh, only 11,991 are employed, including salaried workers and individual entrepreneurs. Only 623 displaced individuals are registered as entrepreneurs in Armenia. The report highlights significant employment challenges faced by displaced people from Artsakh, with approximately 11,000 leaving Armenia due to unresolved socioeconomic issues.

Iran

Following the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which resulted in casualties including two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps generals, Iranian parliament member Jalal Rashidi Kuchi has issued a threat to Azerbaijan. On his social media platform, Kuchi proposed an “open and direct attack on one of the diplomatic centers of the Zionists operating in the regional countries, preferably in Azerbaijan.” Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have been strained since the attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Iran on January 27, 2023. Azerbaijan unilaterally recalled its diplomatic mission, and the Azerbaijani embassy in Iran remains closed. Iranian authorities have also expressed displeasure over Azerbaijan’s ties with Israel. 

Jerusalem

A group of Zionist settlers, backed by Israeli police, made a bold incursion into the historic Cows’ Garden today, a cherished piece of land owned by the Armenian community in Jerusalem for 1,700 years. This marks the latest escalation in an illegal attempt to seize control of Armenian property, sparking outrage and condemnation from the Armenian community and its supporters. The Armenian community has been engaged in a tireless effort to protect its ancestral lands, holding a sit-in to protect the Cows’ Garden since November 5, 2023. The Save the ArQ Movement has issued a fervent appeal to international organizations, urging them to pressure the Israeli government to put an end to this crisis. 

Russia

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has refuted accusations from Armenian authorities during an interview on Zvezda TV. She dismissed claims that Russia and the CSTO were responsible for the loss of Artsakh, asserting that the Armenian government abandoned Artsakh. She pointed to Armenia’s decision to recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over Artsakh, which she said was influenced by the West.

Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) experienced a setback in recent local elections, with opposition victories in key cities including Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya. The elections, held on Sunday, March 31, marked a historic moment, as the opposition People’s Republican Party of Turkey surpassed the ruling AKP for the first time in two decades. Amid the electoral shift, incidents marred the process, including violence in several regions resulting in fatalities and injuries.

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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)

• The Region in Brief - April 24, 2024
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