JAMnews. Top stories in local media.
Friday, September 5, Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan: “Armenia is ready to give new impetus to bilateral cooperation with Japan”
● “Armenia is ready to give new impetus to bilateral cooperation with Japan,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a meeting in Tokyo with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba. Pashinyan announced plans to hold an Armenia–Japan business forum soon, which will help expand trade and economic ties and attract investment to Armenia. For his part, Ishiba said Japan is interested in pursuing joint initiatives with Armenia and expressed hope that the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan will become the basis for long-term regional stability.
● In Armenia, the brother of Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan has been detained. He faces multiple charges, including illegal possession of firearms and drug trafficking. The ambassador commented: “In Armenia, everyone is equal before the law. A preliminary investigation will be conducted, those guilty will be identified and, of course, held accountable.”
● “Peace with Azerbaijan is meaningless as long as the issue of detainees (ethnic Armenians) remains unresolved,” Armenian MP Armen Gevorkyan said at a PACE committee session. He noted alarming reports about their health since Red Cross visits were suspended. “There has been no progress on this issue despite the Washington Declaration of August 8. They are not detainees, but living tools of political manipulation,” Gevorkyan said.
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● EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Magdalena Grono, summed up her visit to Armenia on X. “Exchanges focused on the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process, with emphasis on engagement, possible future cross-border cooperation and regional openness for peace, as well as reconciliation efforts in line with the historic Washington agreements,” she wrote.
● Armenia–Russia trade has significantly decreased this year, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk reported.
● Portugal’s national football team has arrived in Yerevan, where players were welcomed at the airport late at night by numerous fans, many of whom said they came to see team captain Cristiano Ronaldo. Tomorrow, September 6, Armenia will face Portugal in the first round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan.
Friday, September 5, Azerbaijan. Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced it has fully paid insurance compensation to Azerbaijan’s AZAL airline, whose plane was shot down by Russian air defenses
● Israel and Azerbaijan are preparing to hold several high-level meetings by the end of the year, Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ronen Kraus told the pro-government outlet Report.
● “The opening of the Zangezur Corridor will provide a unique route for the supply of hydrocarbons and green energy from the Caspian region and Central Asia through Nakhchivan to Turkey and global markets. This path will turn Azerbaijan and Turkey into one of the main hubs of the Middle Corridor for energy, transport, and transit, and strengthen peace and multilateral cooperation in the region,” said Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov. He emphasized the importance of the new Igdir–Nakhchivan gas pipeline for this route.
In Azerbaijan, the “Zangezur Corridor” refers to a planned road linking the country with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory. At the August 8 summit in Washington, attended by Donald Trump, Azerbaijan and Armenia reached an agreement on opening this transit route with the involvement of U.S. companies. The road has been dubbed the “Trump Route” (TRIPP).
● The EU delegation to the Council of Europe stated that the peace document signed at the White House on August 8 with U.S. mediation marked a breakthrough toward ending the decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The EU stressed the importance of timely signing and ratification of the peace treaty, saying its implementation will contribute to lasting peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus. The statement was joined by Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, Ukraine, and the UK.
● Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced it has fully paid insurance compensation to Azerbaijan’s AZAL airline, whose plane was shot down by Russian air defenses in December last year. The figures: 1 billion rubles (≈ $12.3m) for the lost Embraer aircraft; 358.4 million rubles (≈ $4.4m) paid in compensation to passengers and victims’ families. No apology — repeatedly demanded by Baku — was mentioned. Azerbaijan has not yet commented. President Aliyev recently spoke about the issue in strongly critical terms toward Russia in an interview with Al Arabiya, read more here
● The preliminary investigation into the criminal case against Haji Veliyev (pictured below), head of the “Young Veterans” public association, has been completed and the case will be referred to Tovuz District Court, local media reported. There has been no official confirmation yet. Veliyev was arrested in April and charged with hooliganism involving weapons, which he strongly denies. A veteran of the Second Karabakh War, he lost one eye in combat and reportedly has problems with the other as well. He was known for his critical social media posts about issues faced by soldiers’ families. The “Young Veterans” group was established in 2021 on the basis of the “Karabakh Veterans” association, but its activities were suspended after Veliyev’s arrest.
● Turkey intends to strengthen cooperation with Azerbaijan in the development of offshore fields “Karabakh,” “Dostlug,” and block D230 in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said at the 4th Azerbaijan–Turkey Energy Forum in Izmir. He noted the importance of the natural gas cooperation memorandum signed between the two countries on May 14 last year.
● A decision has been made to increase subsidies for cotton cultivation in 2026 in designated districts. Farmers with modern irrigation systems will receive 215 manats (about $126) per ton, while those without will get 200 manats per ton. An analysis of challenges facing the sector titled “Dark Days of Azerbaijan’s White Gold” is available here
● Azerbaijan announced support for Turkey’s bid to host COP31 in 2026.
● Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov is visiting Vietnam, where he signed a “Letter of Intent” on military training cooperation.
● The trial of a group of former leaders of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) continues. They face charges of war crimes, terrorism, attempts to overthrow state power, and other serious offenses. According to the state agency AZERTAC, testimony was heard from defendants Garik Martirosyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Madat Babayan, who served in the NKR “army of salvation” in the 1990s and were implicated in killings of Azerbaijani soldiers and civilians.
Babayan in particular admitted to taking part in the attack on the town of Khojaly, where he killed civilians and set fire to homes. He also testified that other Armenian armed units shot at people trying to flee, ambushing them from prearranged positions around the town.
Testimony was also heard from defendants David Allahverdyan, Vasily Beglaryan, and Erik Gazaryan regarding their role in fighting during the 2006 escalation and the Second Karabakh War in 2020. The hearings will resume on September 5.
● In the liberated territories of the Gazakh district, 122 hectares have been cleared of mines since the beginning of the year, the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) reported. A total of 309 mines and unexploded ordnance were detected and neutralized. Clearance work in this area has been ongoing since April 2024, with 180.8 hectares cleared overall.
● Azerbaijan has submitted the film Taghiyev. Oil for consideration in the “Best International Feature Film” category at the Oscars. Directed by Shamil Aliyev, the film was produced by the Baku Media Center with support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture. It is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the death of Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev. Local media note that the production ranks among the largest in Azerbaijani cinema history, with filming at 76 different locations, around 2,500 extras, and more than 300 sets created for historical scenes.
● The ICPC Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to ADA University in Baku, announced ICPC President Bill Poucher at the closing ceremony of the 49th world finals held in Baku.
● Azerbaijan’s national football team will play its first 2026 World Cup qualifier today against Iceland in Reykjavik.
● The 17th Uzeyir Hajibeyli International Music Festival will take place September 18–26 in Baku and other cities, featuring musicians from Turkey, the U.S., Germany, France, Switzerland, Korea, and more.
● The state MRLab announced an investigation into a new wave of cyberattacks carried out via Telegram.
Thursday, September 4, Georgia. The director of ISFED, one of Georgia’s leading NGOs, was questioned in court in connection with the pro-European protests
● The controversial head of Batumi police, Irakli Dgebuadze, has been reassigned — he is now head of police attachés and has moved to Tbilisi, local media report. Dgebuadze has been in the spotlight after Mzia Amaglobali, director of popular outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, slapped him in response to insults and was sentenced to two years. Dgebuadze was recognized as the victim and told the court he “felt pain from the slap.” According to Mzia, after her detention in the police department, Dgebuadze spat in her face and denied her water and access to the bathroom. Other detainees at pro-European rallies have also repeatedly accused Dgebuadze of physical abuse and inhumane treatment. None of these cases have been investigated by the prosecutor’s office.
Media report that Gocha Vanadze, Dgebuadze’s deputy and a witness in his defense, is now acting head of Batumi police. The Interior Ministry press office has not issued an official comment on the reshuffle.
● The ruling Georgian Dream opened its campaign headquarters in central Tbilisi ahead of the October 4 municipal elections.
A massive protest took place outside the building, with participants chanting “You are Russian slaves” and clashing with police.
Only three opposition parties have nominated candidates for these elections — Lelo for Georgia, Gakharia for Georgia, and Girchi. The rest of the opposition has declared a boycott. Pro-European protests in Georgia have now continued for over nine months, demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of dozens of detained and sentenced protesters.
● Eleven participants in pro-European protests have been sentenced to two years in prison on charges of participating in group violence. Read more here
● Journalist and pro-European activist Nika Kacia was acquitted and released from the courtroom. The charge of large-scale drug possession was deemed unfounded. The prosecutor’s office announced it would appeal the decision. Read more here
● Staff from the Public Defender’s Office visited 11 people held in pre-trial detention after the September 2 protest on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. The Ombudsman reported possible excessive force, verbal abuse, and mistreatment by police. Many detainees had visible injuries, mainly redness and bruises on their limbs.
● Nino Dolidze, executive director of the organization “Fair Elections” (ISFED), was questioned at Tbilisi City Court as part of a prosecutor’s investigation. She said she was asked whether she or ISFED were involved in organizing protests in spring and in November–December 2024, and whether she had any role in related violence.
● Mamuka Mdinaradze has been appointed as the new head of the State Security Service by Georgian Dream.
His candidacy was unanimously supported by 85 MPs of the ruling-party parliament. Mdinaradze was nominated after the resignation of former chief Anri Okhanashvili, who has been appointed national security adviser to the Prime Minister.
● The U.S. Helsinki Commission will hold a hearing on September 10 titled “From Partner to Problem: Georgia’s Anti-American Turn.”
The session will take place at the U.S. Congress in Washington and will be streamed live. According to the Commission, Georgian Dream is bringing the country back into Russia’s orbit while strengthening ties with China and other U.S. adversaries, threatening American interests in the region. The hearings will discuss the global consequences of Georgia’s shift toward authoritarianism and potential U.S. policy responses, including the bipartisan Megobari Act. Read more here
● Bilateral military cooperation issues between Tbilisi and Washington were discussed at the Georgian Defense Ministry, the U.S. Embassy reported. The meeting was attended by Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani, Acting U.S. Ambassador Alan Purcell, the new military attaché Jonathan Adams, and the head of the U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation Andrew Underwood.
