Israeli Activist Urges Jerusalem Mayor to Act Over Spitting Incidents Targeting Christians
An Israeli religious freedom advocate is pressing Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon to address repeated incidents of spitting at Christians and Christian holy sites, saying the city has failed to respond to a problem that has drawn growing international attention. Yisca Harani, director of the Hotline for Documenting Harassment of Christians at the Religious Freedom Data Center, raised the issue in a letter to the Jerusalem Municipality’s spokesperson’s office. Jerusalem-based Armen
7 hours ago
Belarus Bans Import and Sale of Armenian ‘Yerevan 2800’ Brandy
Belarus has banned the import and sale of an Armenian brandy after regulators said laboratory tests found it did not meet required standards, a move that comes as relations between Yerevan and Minsk remain strained following a bitter dispute between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The ban covers the eight-year-old “Yerevan 2800” brandy produced by MAP CJSC in Armenia’s Armavir region. Belarus’ State Committee for Standardization c
7 hours ago
Azerbaijan Used Ruben Vardanyan’s Funding of Schools, Kindergartens and Mass Weddings as Evidence of Criminal Activity
The Azerbaijani court that sentenced Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison tied him to killings, military operations and other events stretching back to the late 1980s, including incidents that occurred years before he moved to Nagorno-Karabakh, according to an Armenian human rights lawyer who reviewed the case. Siranush Sahakyan, who represents the interests of Armenian prisoners before the European Court of Human Rights, detailed portions of the case Friday during a news co
8 hours ago
Pashinyan Says Armenia Is Wasting Water as Farmland Sits Unused
Armenia is wasting large amounts of water through outdated irrigation systems while thousands of hectares of farmland remain unused because they cannot be reliably supplied, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Friday as his government laid out plans to overhaul the country’s water sector. Speaking at a Sept. 4 workshop on water reforms for 2026-2031, Pashinyan said problems with drinking water, irrigation and wastewater treatment affect communities across Armenia. He said mos
8 hours ago
Armenia Prepares First Direct Commercial Export to Azerbaijan, Pashinyan Says
Armenia is preparing to send its first direct commercial export to Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Thursday, as the two countries begin opening economic ties after decades of conflict. Speaking to reporters after a government meeting Sept. 3, Pashinyan said an Armenian company has already reached a deal to sell goods to Azerbaijan. He declined to identify the product or the businesses involved, saying the transaction should first be completed. “I believe the f
1 day ago
Armenian Man Who Lost Part of Hand in 2024 Police Crackdown Now Faces Criminal Investigation After Confronting Alen Simonyan
An Armenian man who lost part of his right hand during a violent police crackdown on protesters in Yerevan last year is now under criminal investigation after confronting Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan and demanding accountability for his injuries. Yesayi Karamyan was among those seriously injured on June 12, 2024, when police used stun grenades and other crowd-control measures against protesters near the intersection of Baghramyan Avenue and Demirchyan Street in ce
1 day ago
Third Judge Refuses to Hear Karekin II Criminal Case, Sends It to Court of Cassation
A Yerevan judge has asked Armenia’s Court of Cassation to decide which court should hear the criminal case against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and six senior bishops, adding another procedural turn to a case that has already moved between several judges. Judge Vahagn Melikyan of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction referred the jurisdictional dispute to the Court of Cassation after the case was transferred from Armavir to Yerevan, the court said. Under Armenia
1 day ago
Paris City Hall Displays Portraits of 19 Armenian POWs Held in Azerbaijan
The faces of 19 Armenians held in Azerbaijan are now displayed outside Paris City Hall, placing their cases before thousands of residents and visitors in the center of the French capital. The exhibition, organized by the City of Paris and the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France, known as CCAF, opened Monday and will remain on display through Sept. 4. The installation draws attention to Armenians imprisoned in Azerbaijan following the conflict over Nagorno
2 days ago
EU to Lift Tariffs on 80% of Armenian Exports as Russia Restricts Armenian Goods
The European Union is moving to lift tariffs on most Armenian exports for two years, offering Yerevan greater access to the European market after Russia imposed restrictions on a range of Armenian goods. The Council of the European Union approved the temporary trade package Wednesday, backing a European Commission proposal that would liberalize about 80% of Armenia’s exports to the 27-member bloc. The measures would suspend import duties on a broad range of Armenian products,
2 days ago
Artsakh Declared Independence 35 Years Ago as Armenian Heritage Faces Destruction Under Azerbaijani Occupation
Thirty-five years ago, Artsakh declared itself a republic. Today, the anniversary comes nearly three years after Azerbaijan occupied the region and forced virtually its entire ethnic Armenian population to flee to Armenia. For decades, Sept. 2 was commemorated in Artsakh with official ceremonies and public events celebrating the establishment of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In 2026, the anniversary is being observed without an Armenian population living in the region and am
3 days ago
