The Region in Brief
Armenia
Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) detained 70-year-old Gharib Babayan, a former university vice-rector from Artsakh, on charges of inciting hatred and spreading enmity within Armenia. Babayan disseminated a video showing Iranian nationals — presumably of Azerbaijani descent — singing about “Karabakh” in Yerevan’s Republic Square. Babayan’s detention sparked protests near the Ajapnyak District Court and widespread criticism from human rights and opposition groups. Yerevan Criminal Court Judge Mushegh Aramyan refused to sanction the arrest, placing Babayan under “administrative surveillance” instead.
Azerbaijan/Russia
Azerbaijan has launched a large-scale security operation, “Border Shield,” along its northern border with Russia, targeting organized crime, terrorism and illegal trafficking. The move comes amid escalating tensions between Baku and Moscow, driven by Azerbaijan’s frustration with Russia’s regional policies regarding Armenia. The operation’s scale suggests a broader agenda to assert control over security while reducing reliance on Russia. Azerbaijani forces say they have dismantled extremist networks, disrupted smuggling routes and recently neutralized a terrorist group with links to international organizations.
Georgia
The Georgian parliament is now without an opposition after 49 members — nearly a third of the legislature — had their mandates revoked, announced ruling majority leader, Mamuka Mdinaradze, during a parliamentary session. The move affects representatives from several opposition parties, including the “Unity – National Movement,” “Coalition for Change” and “Strong Georgia,” which refused to recognize the election results and requested their own mandate revocations in December. Parliament now consists of 101 members: 81 from the ruling “Georgian Dream,” eight from the opposition “People’s Power” and 12 from “Gakharia for Georgia.”
Iran
During a meeting with Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to preserving territorial integrity in the region, calling it a fundamental principle of Iran’s foreign policy. “Any change to the borders in the region is absolutely unacceptable,” Pezeshkian stated. The two officials also discussed bilateral relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. Pezeshkian emphasized Iran’s desire to strengthen ties with its neighboring and Islamic countries, warning that divisions among Muslim nations would only invite external interference.
Turkey
Vakıflı, Turkey’s last Armenian village, is at risk of expropriation due to a large-scale housing project initiated by Turkey’s Housing Development Administration (TOKİ). The project includes 1,353 residential units across Hıdırbey and Vakıflıköy, potentially seizing nearly half of Vakıflı’s land, homes and agricultural areas. Residents fear the project will alter the village’s historical and cultural identity, accelerating a demographic shift. Vakıflı, part of the Musa Ler region, has preserved its Armenian heritage despite mass displacement following the 1915 Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s annexation of Hatay in 1939. Efforts to reclaim lost Armenian properties have faced obstacles. The Vakıflı Armenian Church Foundation has sought the return of 36 properties, but despite a 2022 Turkish Constitutional Court ruling recognizing property rights violations, they remain in state or private hands.
Hoory Minoyan
Latest posts by Hoory Minoyan (see all)
- Opposition warns against “capitulation” as Armenia and Azerbaijan finalize text of treaty - March 14, 2025
- Ruben Vardanyan’s hunger strike continues in protest of sham trial - March 12, 2025
- The Region in Brief - March 12, 2025
