The Region in Brief
Armenia
Armenian businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan is facing a new criminal charge, in what his legal team describes as an intensifying campaign of politically motivated persecution. According to a statement issued by the Council of Defenders of Samvel Karapetyan, the latest accusation—money laundering allegedly conducted through several companies—was filed without any supporting evidence. The council asserts that the move is a continuation of politically charged actions taken against Karapetyan following his public support for the Armenian Apostolic Church and his June 17 statement defending the Holy See of Etchmiadzin.
Karapetyan’s defense claims this accusation, like the previous one, lacks any factual basis. No specific actions, financial transactions or decisions related to company ownership have been identified that would implicate Karapetyan in such a crime. The council notes that, in recent years, “money laundering” has become a frequently used allegation in Armenia, often deployed in cases that appear to have political undertones.
The new charges come shortly after an announcement from Karapetyan’s team confirming that they have begun forming his political team.
Artsakh
On July 15, Armenia’s prosecutor general filed a lawsuit in the Administrative Court against the Cadastre Committee, seeking to annul the state registration of ownership rights held by the government of the Republic of Artsakh for a building located on Nairi Zaryan Street in Yerevan.
For years, the building has served as the permanent representation of Artsakh in Armenia. Following the 44-day war in 2020, it has remained the sole space used by Artsakh officials and a point of contact with forcibly displaced citizens from Artsakh.
Russia
Russia is prepared to support the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with Izvestia. Galuzin emphasized that the key directions for progress have already been outlined in the trilateral agreements signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020 and 2022.
“We believe that the process should move forward along the following lines: preparation of a peace treaty, unblocking regional economic and transport links, border delimitation and fostering dialogue between civil societies and the parliaments of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Galuzin stated.
He reaffirmed that Russia, as a signatory to the trilateral agreements, is ready to continue facilitating their implementation. “Naturally, this would be done in a manner that is acceptable to both parties,” he added.
Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly emphasized the need for a new constitution, calling the current one outdated and restrictive. In the spring of 2024, Erdoğan stated that the existing charter “prevents the country from moving forward,” and argued that it fails to reflect the will of the people. He underscored that, with the exception of the 1921 and 1924 constitutions, all others in Turkey’s history were “drafted under the directives of trustees and imposed on the people.”
Erdoğan has promised that a new constitution would be more liberal in nature and drafted by civilian representatives, branding it a true “people’s constitution.”
One of the key motivators behind Erdoğan’s renewed call for constitutional reform is the current charter’s limitation on his eligibility to run for a third presidential term. The president has outlined two possible paths forward: securing a constitutional amendment with at least 400 votes in parliament, or triggering early elections, which requires a minimum of 360 votes in the legislature.
