The Caucasus Digest
Your weekly view into the Caucasus region with the OC Media team.
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A week of protests against Georgia’s foreign agent law
04/19/2024
A week of protests against Georgia’s foreign agent law
Georgians have once again come out to protest the foreign agents bill after the ruling Georgian Dream party reintroduced the draft law a year after aborting it. This week, we spoke with OC Media’s Mariam Nikuradze and Shota Kincha about the daily mass protests against the bill, the government’s reactions, and how the coming weeks might unfold. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Is Chechnya banning lezginka?
04/15/2024
Is Chechnya banning lezginka?
Chechnya’s Culture Ministry said earlier this month that the Russian republic would issue restrictions on music slower than 80 bpm and faster than 116 bpm. At the time, the ministry stated that the Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov had instructed them to introduce the restrictions, however, last week, Kadyrov said that the restrictions were meant to be ‘recommendations’ for performers and composers of folk music in Chechnya. This week, OC Media’s Luiza Mchedlishvili talks about Chechnya’s repression of musicians and culture, and musicologist Ben Wheeler breaks down the apparent contradictions of the new restrictions. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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The ‘Russian Law’ returns to Georgia
04/05/2024
The ‘Russian Law’ returns to Georgia
The ruling Georgian Dream party has reintroduced its controversial foreign agents law, a bill that the party was forced to abort after two nights of mass protests in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. The ruling party’s reintroduction of the bill was met with wide condemnation both domestically and internationally due to its similarity to legislation that was used to crush civil society and media in Russia. This week, OC Media’s Robin Fabbro, Mariam Nikuradze, and Shota Kincha talk about why Georgian Dream brought the law back and the potential response to the law in Georgia. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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NATO’s stakes in the South Caucasus
03/28/2024
NATO’s stakes in the South Caucasus
Last week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg toured the South Caucasus to visit the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. This week, we speak to political analyst and head of the Regional Center for Democracy Tigran Grigoryan about the significance of a new partnership agreement between Armenia and NATO, to independent researcher Shujaat Ahmadzada about the importance of Azerbaijani gas after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and to Giorgi Shaishmelashvili about the latest developments surrounding Georgia’s protracted bid for NATO membership. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Azerbaijan’s media crackdown continues
03/21/2024
Azerbaijan’s media crackdown continues
In early March, Azerbaijani police raided the offices of Toplum TV and arrested several of their journalists on charges of smuggling. The targeting of the independent outlet was the latest in Azerbaijan’s ongoing crackdown on media in the country. This week, we speak to Toplum TV journalist Alya Aghayeva about Azerbaijan’s crackdown on their outlet, and to Leyla Mustafayeva, who became the interim editor-in-chief of AbzasMedia in exile. AbzasMedia was the first outlet to be targeted by the authorities in November. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Is Armenia going to join the European Union?
03/07/2024
Is Armenia going to join the European Union?
In recent weeks, senior Armenian officials have expressed an intent and interest in the country growing closer to Europe, and perhaps even joining the European Union, particularly in light of recent security concerns and a move away from Moscow. In this week’s episode, we speak to MEP Viola von Cramon about Armenia’s EU prospects, and to Babken DerGrigorian, a former official in the post-revolutionary government about Armenia’s ties with Rusia and its readiness to potentially apply for EU membership. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Surviving on $8 a month: is Georgia on track for a real living wage?
03/01/2024
Surviving on $8 a month: is Georgia on track for a real living wage?
Georgia’s minimum wage has been stuck at $8 a month since 1999, but in recent years, unions and civil society organisations have called on the government to raise the country’s minimum wage to match standards of decent living in Georgia. This week in the Caucasus Digest, we speak to Jeff Vize from Human Rights Watch about the background of the current minimum wage, and Raisa Liparteliani from the Georgian Trade Union Confederation, about a new draft law that could potentially institute a liveable minimum wage. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Are Armenia and Azerbaijan heading towards war?
02/23/2024
Are Armenia and Azerbaijan heading towards war?
Last week, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned that Azerbaijan might be preparing to launch a full-scale war. His warning came amidst peace negotiations between the two countries that have been ongoing since the end of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War of 2020. This week, we speak to Crisis Group’s Olesya Vartanyan, to independent researcher Shujaat Ahmadzada, and to writer and Carnegie Senior Fellow Thomas de Waal about the likelihood of a war breaking out between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the current status of the peace talks. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Against shame culture: virginity tests and sex education in Armenia
02/16/2024
Against shame culture: virginity tests and sex education in Armenia
Last week, a bill on domestic violence passed its first hearing in Armenia’s parliament. The changes would classify virginity tests, a controversial practice meant to determine whether a person’s hymen is intact, as a form of domestic violence. This week, we speak to Ani Jilosian of the Women’s Support Centre about what these amendments could mean and to Tereza Panchoyan, or Girlunmuted an Instagram blogger, about attitudes towards sex in Armenia and the importance of better sex education. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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The elections that had no one on the edge of their seat
02/09/2024
The elections that had no one on the edge of their seat
President Ilham Aliyev has prolonged his decades-long rule of Azerbaijan, securing a fifth term after winning the presidential elections this week — elections that were marred by the absence of any real opposition and blatant electoral fraud. On this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, we speak to Meydan TV editor Orkhan Mammad about the role of media in covering the elections, to political analyst and PhD candidate Bahruz Samadov about the mainstream opposition’s boycott of the vote, and to Javid Agha, a journalist and social media researcher, about his previous . Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Georgians take on predatory lending
02/01/2024
Georgians take on predatory lending
The eviction of the Khatiashvili family from their home in Tbilisi last week has led to outrage in Georgia and accusations that the government is taking an ‘inhumane’ approach towards debt and housing. This week, we hear from Marina Khatiashvili, who was evicted alongside her family, and we speak to OC Media journalist and co-director Mariam Nikuradze about the protests surrounding the eviction, and to the Social Justice Centre’s Salome Shubladze about predatory lending and the government’s handling of the situation. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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The Amulsar mine returns
01/29/2024
The Amulsar mine returns
After over a decade of controversy over environmental, labour, and economic concerns, the Armenian government has finally greenlit the operation of the Amulsar gold mine in Jermuk. Since the project’s announcement, local communities in and around Jermuk have expressed concern about the mine’s potential impact on their lives and livelihoods, while environmental activists have warned about the catastrophic environmental effects the mines could have on the region. This week, we spoke to Knar Khudoyan, a journalist who has been closely following the protests surrounding the mine, to Anna Shahnazaryan, an environmental activist who has been campaigning against the mine, and to Hovhannes Avetisyan, an economist and public policy analyst, about the viability of the project. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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What's next for Georgia on its path to Europe?
12/22/2023
What's next for Georgia on its path to Europe?
Georgia may finally have secured EU candidate status, but some in Georgia still question just how committed the ruling Georgian Dream party is to taking the country’s EU integration to the next stage. This week, we spoke to OC Media journalist and co-director Mariam Nikuradze about Georgian Dream’s apparent change of heart towards the EU and to the Social Justice Centre’s director of the democracy and justice programme, Guram Imnadze, about the remaining reforms Georgia must undertake in its path to becoming a member of the bloc. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Mandatory military service and ‘fictional’ priests in Georgia
12/15/2023
Mandatory military service and ‘fictional’ priests in Georgia
Georgia’s defence code is stamping out loopholes that young Georgians use to get out of military service, as rights activists in the country warn that new amendments to the code could lead to discrimination against religious minorities. This week, we spoke to a Georgian student about why he chose to evade conscription, to Ioseb Edisherashvili from the Georgian Young Lawyers Association about the controversy surrounding the defence code, and to Giorgi Shaishmelashvili, the Head of Research at Civic IDEA, about what the code was intended to achieve, and what it has done instead. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Azerbaijan cracks down on the media
12/01/2023
Azerbaijan cracks down on the media
Last week, Azerbaijani authorities raided the offices of AbzasMedia, an independent news outlet covering corruption in the country. They arrested four of its employees, including its director, Ulvi Hasanli, and editor-in-chief, Sevinj Vagifgizi, on charges of smuggling foreign currency into the country. They denied the charges and accused the government of falsifying evidence against them by planting €40,000 ($44,000) in their offices to disrupt their work. This week, the police also arrested Aziz Orujov, the founder of Kanal 13, an independent online TV, for allegedly illegally constructing a house. These arrests have led many in Azerbaijan to fear that a wave of repression is beginning, similar to other such periods of pressure against journalists, activists, and politicians in Azerbaijan. This week, Islam Shikhali talks about working as a journalist in Azerbaijan in light of the crackdown on AbzasMedia, Anar Mammadli, the head of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center, talks about his own arrest in a previous crackdown on civil society almost a decade ago, and Bahruz Samadov, a PhD candidate at Charles University, talks about how Azerbaijan’s relationship with the West influenced its authoritarian crackdown on AbzasMedia. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Are the rights of queer Armenians being forgotten?
11/23/2023
Are the rights of queer Armenians being forgotten?
The recent suicide of a queer Armenian teenager shook many in Armenia, with activists accusing the authorities of lacking the sensitivity or willingness to help queer victims of abuse or bullying. In the absence of any legislation to protect them, queer people in Armenia are frequently subjected to discrimination and violence in Armenia, including in their own homes. This week on the Caucasus Digest, a queer Armenian student talks about the challenges of being queer in Armenia, Mamikon Hovsepyan of Pink Armenia discusses the role of queer rights activism and organisation in the country, and Freedom House’s Andranik Shirinyan about what the authorities should do to protect queer Armenians. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Going against the flow: Georgia’s controversial hydropower plants
11/17/2023
Going against the flow: Georgia’s controversial hydropower plants
Georgia generates a staggering 85% of its electricity through hydropower plants; however, while further exploitation of Georgia’s hydropower potential sounds promising on paper, local activists and researchers say that a lack of feasibility and safety research before the construction of hydropower plants could pose significant risks. This week on the Caucasus Digest, Hannah O’Sullivan, an energy researcher, talks about the present and future role of hydropower in Georgia. Salome Shubladze of the Social Justice Centre explains the implications of the plants’ construction for people’s rights, and Kakha Asatiani of the Saving Rioni Valley movement provides an insight into the campaigns opposing the HPPs. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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How the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War has reshaped the region
11/09/2023
How the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War has reshaped the region
The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War has had a lasting impact on the South Caucasus, leading to a massive geopolitical shift. Azerbaijan emerged victorious, taking control of large swathes of territory in 2020, and eventually what remained of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023. Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian population was forced to flee the region into Armenia, which since the war, has been forced to reassess its traditional alliance with Russia and to turn West for assistance. This episode, we spoke to Marut Vanyan, a journalist from Nagorno-Karabakh, about the exodus of the region’s Armenian population and the challenges they face in Armenia. We also spoke to Civilnet’s editor-in-chief, Karen Harutyunyan, about how Armenia changed since the war and its partnership with Russia, to Bahruz Samadov, a PhD candidate at Charles University in Prague, about how the conflict has helped further legitimise President Ilham Aliyev’s rule. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Is Georgia getting EU candidate status?
11/02/2023
Is Georgia getting EU candidate status?
The EU Commission is expected to deliver its recommendation on whether or not the European Union should now grant Georgia candidate status on 8 November. The decision to grant Georgia candidate status hinges on 12 priorities set out by the EU for the country to fulfil before its status could be reconsidered. While the Georgian Dream-led government insists that it has made real progress on those 12 priorities, many in Georgia remain sceptical about their commitment to the country’s EU aspirations. This week on the Caucasus Digest, Mariam Nikuradze, OC Media’s journalist and co-director, Kakha Gogolashvili from the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, and Politiko’s Gabriel Gavin about what to expect on 8 November. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Chechens trying to find their place in Europe
10/26/2023
Chechens trying to find their place in Europe
The Kadyrov regime, installed by Moscow in Grozny after the fall of Ichkeria, a short-lived independent Chechen state that existed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, has led to a severe deterioration of human rights in Chechnya, as reports of police brutality, disappearances, torture, and the persecution of people formerly associated with Ichkeria became all too common. Tens of thousands have since fled Chechnya and settled in Europe, with more attempting to seek asylum after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, some of the new arrivals have found a less than warm reception as the Chechen diaspora grapples with Islamaphobia and stereotypes in their host countries. This week, Chamil Albakov, a representative of a group that claims to uphold the legacy of Ichkeria, with a government in exile, in France and Marat Ilyasov, a visiting scholar at George Washington University, talk about the challenges and stereotypes the Chechens of Europe face, and Europe’s denial of asylum to Chechens fleeing Kadyrov’s Chechnya and mobilisation in Russia. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Tackling child marriages in Georgia
10/19/2023
Tackling child marriages in Georgia
In early October, Aitaj Shakhmarova, 14, was murdered by a man who kidnapped her and forced her into marriage as she was trying to flee his home. The crime shook Georgia, where child marriage rates are relatively high. This week, we spoke to Samira Bayramova, a human rights activist from Kvemo Kartli, about the murder and prevalence of early marriage in Georgia and the importance of raising awareness of child marriage and the development of rural communities. Baia Pataraia, the executive director of Sapari, a women’s rights organisation, stresses the importance of implementing already-existing legislation to prevent early marriage in Georgia. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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No tents, no stages, no signs: Georgian Dream’s war on protest
10/05/2023
No tents, no stages, no signs: Georgian Dream’s war on protest
Georgia’s Parliament adopted on Thursday evening amendments to the law on protests that would ban the erection of temporary structures – tents and stages included. Critics of the amendments have argued that the new regulations would stifle freedom of assembly in the country and have already begun dubbing it the ‘new Russian law’ in reference to the foreign agents law, which triggered a wave of massive protests that forced the ruling Georgian Dream party to drop it. This week, we spoke to OC Media journalist and co-director Mariam Nikuradze about the conviction of peaceful protesters holding signs deemed offensive by the police, including a blank sheet of paper, and how the Georgian police deal with protests in the country. Dachi Imedadze, the head of strategy at the liberal activist Shame movement, talks about how these amendments could affect future demonstrations in Georgia. Guram Imnadze, a lawyer and programme director at the Social Justice Centre, a local human rights group, sheds light on the amendments and how they came to be. Read more: We’re currently collecting feedback from our listeners and readers. We really value your opinions and want to make sure we’re providing information and content that you find useful and interesting, so we would love it if you could fill out this anonymous that will take approximately 10–15 minutes of your time. Become a supporter at , or on .
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The Nagorno-Karabakh Exodus
09/28/2023
The Nagorno-Karabakh Exodus
More than half of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian population have already sought refuge in Armenia less than a week after Stepanakert’s surrender to Azerbaijan. This week on the Caucasus Digest, OC Media’s Armenian staff writer Arshaluys Barseghyan talks about Armenia’s reception of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees and anti-government protests in Armenia. Laurence Broers, an associate fellow at the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatam House, phones in to talk about the international community’s role in the conflict, and whether more could have been done to avoid the latest fighting and displacement of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Bahruz Samadov, a PhD candidate at Charles University in Prague, talks about Baku’s plans to ‘integrate’ the region and the future of the Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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The end of Nagorno-Karabakh?
09/20/2023
The end of Nagorno-Karabakh?
On Tuesday, Azerbaijan launched a massive offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh. The aim was to ‘restore constitutional order’ and force the dissolution of the government in Stepanakert. Nagorno-Karabakh surrendered 24 hours later. This week on the Caucasus Digest, Thomas De Waal, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, talks about the short-lived fighting seen in Nagorno-Karabakh and what outcomes it might have had on the conflict. Knar Khudoyan, a journalist based in Yerevan, talks about reactions to the war in Yerevan. Lala Darchinova and Sevinj Samadzade, peace activists from Azerbaijan, talk about the role of peace activism in the conflict and how the Azerbaijani society reacted to the war. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Fighting Russia’s colonial legacy in the North Caucasus
09/06/2023
Fighting Russia’s colonial legacy in the North Caucasus
Since its conquest by Russia in the 19th century, the North Caucasus has been the scene of genocides, forced deportations, wars for independence, and insurgency. The dozens of nations indigenous to the region continue to be repressed socially and culturally by the Russian Federation. However, Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has once again raised the imperial nature of the Russian state and has shone a light on how this imperialism extends to the North Caucasus, as several organisations led by North Caucasian natives and diaspora members call for the independence of their nations. On this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, OC Media co-director Dominik Cagara talks about the colonial legacy of the Caucasus conquest and its lingering effects on the region. Magomed Torijev, a journalist and representative of the Ingush Independence Committee, talks about the committee’s aim of securing independence for Ingushetia. Harold Chambers, a North Caucasus analyst, breaks down the current situation in the North Caucasus and talks about the challenges faced by these organisations. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Tea Tsulukiani’s chokehold on Georgian culture
08/18/2023
Tea Tsulukiani’s chokehold on Georgian culture
Georgia’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth has seen a lot of changes since Tea Tsulukiani’s appointment as minister, with Tsulukiani, a veteran member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, overseeing the ‘reorganisation’ of the ministry and its agencies. This week on the Caucasus Digest, we spoke to Lika Zakashvili, editor-in-chief of Publika, about Tsulukiani’s tenure as minister and her reorganisation efforts. Luka Beradze, director of Smiling Georgia, talks about why Georgia’s film community is protesting Tsulukiani’s dismissal of the National Film Centre’s director and other employees. Khatuna Tskhadadze, a literary translator and teacher, talks about Tsulukiani’s appointment of a ruling party MP to head the Writer’s House. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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Shovi: an avoidable tragedy?
08/10/2023
Shovi: an avoidable tragedy?
On 3 August, a fatal mudslide hit Shovi, a resort in the northwest of Georgia. At least 21 people were confirmed to have been killed as a result of the mudslide. This week on the Caucasus Digest, OC Media journalist and co-director Mariam Nikuradze talks about the mudslide and its aftermath. Aleko Sardanashvili, an activist and winemaker from Racha, talks about the impact of the disaster on the region, while Lasha Sukhishvili, a professor at Ilia State University and the deputy head of of the Institute of Earth Sciences, talks about what needs to be done to avoid such tragedies in the future. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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The arrest of Gubad Ibadoghlu
08/03/2023
The arrest of Gubad Ibadoghlu
On 23 July, Azerbaijani police detained Gubad Ibadoghlu, a prominent critic of the Azerbaijani Government and chair of the Azerbaijan Democracy and Welfare Party. Ibadoghlu was detained while visiting Azerbaijan from his home in London, and was charged with making, acquiring, or selling counterfeit money. On this week’s episode, we spoke to Ibadoghlu’s daughter, Jala Bayramova, a human rights lawyer and activist, about her father’s current condition and efforts being made to secure his release. Rachel Denber, Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division’s deputy director, talks about the significance of his detention and the importance of international pressure in securing his release. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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North Caucasian art and activism in Tbilisi
07/28/2023
North Caucasian art and activism in Tbilisi
Last week, a group of North Caucasian immigrants in Tbilisi gathered at the Centre for Contemporary Art to celebrate their culture and discuss the experience of North Caucasians in Georgia. On this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, we are joined by the organisers of the event: the founders of Ored Recordings, Bulat Khalilov and Timur Kodzoko, and Zemfira Gogui, a human rights consultant from Karachay-Cherkessia. Khalilov and Kodzoko broke down the cultural significance of the event and talked about efforts aimed at decolonising the politics of the North Caucasus, while Gogui talked about the stereotypes North Caucasians are subjected to in Russia and the challenges they face in Georgia. Become a supporter at , or on .
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Blockade fatigue in Nagorno-Karabakh
07/21/2023
Blockade fatigue in Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh has been under various degrees of blockade for over seven months now as Azerbaijan continues to prevent the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh from leaving or entering the region. Russian peacekeepers stationed there have been barred from accessing the region since mid-June, while the International Committee of the Red Cross was blocked from accessing Nagorno-Karabakh after being accused of smuggling in phones, cigarettes, and fuel. This week, Marut Vanyan, a journalist based in Stepanakert, talks about the dire humanitarian situation and the sense of isolation felt in Nagorno-Karabakh, while Armenian multimedia journalist Arpi Bekaryan talks about the growing apathy towards the crisis in Armenia. Read more: Become a supporter at , or on .
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