CIVILNET

📍 Turkey’s national airline has announced that it plans to launch flights to Armenia, though no date or route details were provided.📍 The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Azerbaijan to provide a detailed report on the detention and health conditions of 23 Armenian prisoners held in Baku.📍 Armenia has delayed parliamentary hearings on the probe into the country’s defeat in the 2020 war in and around Nagorno-Karabakh. The head of the parliamentary commission behind the investigation said the loss was due to corruption, shortcomings in personnel policy, numerous instances of treason and desertion, as well as misleading information provided by allies.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

CivilNet sits down with Berj Apkarian, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Fresno, to talk about his 15th medical mission to Armenia. This year’s mission features a high-level delegation of physicians from the Cleveland Clinic, University of California Irvine, Washington University, and University of California San Francisco. Apkarian, who was recently awarded the title of Honorary Professor by Armen Muradyan, the Rector of Yerevan State Medical University, discussed the mission’s new achievements in education and rehabilitation, and how this collaboration is enabling advancements in Armenia’s healthcare system, from integrating AI to advancing the nursing profession. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

📍 In a rare diplomatic exchange, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Ukraine met in Poland on the sidelines of the Warsaw Security Forum.📍 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe today, speaking on Armenia’s democratic development and the peace process with Azerbaijan. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

The Anti-Corruption Committee recently closed a criminal investigation into alleged illegal donations to the ruling Civil Contract (CC) party in 2022. The case, which had been opened on the grounds of large-scale unlawful campaign contributions, was terminated without any prosecutions. This decision, coupled with clear violations in CC’s financing process, raises serious concerns about the transparency of political party funding and the impartiality of Armenia’s state institutions.

The scandal was first exposed last year by CivilNet in collaboration with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Investigators revealed that dozens of individuals – many of them CC candidates in local elections – had made large, identical contributions to the party. In at least ten towns, ten different candidates each transferred the exact same amount of money on the same day. Journalists spoke with more than thirty donors, about half of whom said they did not even recall donating to Civil Contract.

Similar concerns resurfaced in January 2024, when Infocom.am scrutinized the party’s fundraising for the September 2023 Yerevan municipal elections. Civil Contract reported raising 506.5 million drams (about $1.25 million) for the campaign — an unprecedented amount. Infocom found that much of this total came in the form of donations ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 each, often attributed to individuals with modest means or apparent ties to senior officials and businesspeople close to the government. Some of those listed as donors told journalists they were unaware that such large sums had been transferred to Prime Minister Pashinyan’s party in their name.

📍 Armenia and the United States have launched negotiations on a cooperation agreement for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.📍 Armenian police announced they have solved the high-profile murder of Valodya Grigoryan, the mayor of a Yerevan suburb gunned down last week. Two people were arrested, one of whom confessed, and the weapon was retrieved by police.📍 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan used his address at the United Nations General Assembly to criticize Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s use of the term “Zangezur corridor.”📍 Armenia and Poland’s main stock exchanges deepen ties: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS https://youtu.be/EX2mlBexX28?si=rouet8ZCROmfIMyK #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

📍 Nikol Pashinyan once again suggested that in the long term, the government may not operate ENA, the country’s national power company. Pashinyan’s government nationalized the company earlier this year, which is subject to an ongoing international arbitration claim.📍 A new agreement will allow cross-border trading between the Armenia Stock Exchange and Warsaw Stock Exchange, raising hopes for increased capital access forArmenian companies.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #civilnetbusiness

On the second anniversary of Ruben Vardanyan’s capture and detention in Baku, CivilNet’s Eric Hacopian speaks with his son, David Vardanyan. They discuss the conditions of Ruben Vardanyan’s imprisonment, the disappearance of the Red Cross from Azerbaijan, the fate of the other 23 Armenian hostages, and the international community’s silence. David highlights the urgent need for global action, U.S. involvement, and a united Armenian campaign to secure the release of all hostages.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

This week on Insights, Eric Hacopian focuses on Armenia’s growing economic disruptions — cargo delays, pipeline “repairs,” and trade barriers that are hitting farmers and drivers. He also delves into the striking surge in Armenia’s IT sector, as well as the Armenian hostages held in Baku and what more must be done for them.

Some poets speak to nations. Others speak to hearts. Avetik Isahakyan did both.

The Avetik Isahakyan House Museum invites visitors to reflect on the life of one of Armenia’s most soulful poets. From the tragic sweep of Armenian history to mystical gardens inspired by Persian verse, Christopher Atamian traces the emotional arc of Isahakyan’s life and literary work. A story of love, exile, resilience—and eternal spring.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

CivilNet speaks with Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King Jr., a renowned civil rights leader, author and faith leader, during her visit to Armenia. In this interview, Dr. King reflects on her family’s legacy, shares her message of faith and unity, and discusses her hopes for Armenia’s future. She speaks about the importance of peace, the idea that humanity is one race under God, and the role she has played in promoting reconciliation. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ