Publications

Publications

Counting More Than Votes: Pre-Election Challenges in Armenia

Only a few months remain until the 2026 Regular National Assembly Elections, and logically, the electoral agenda is at the core of the public and political discourse. The increasing public interest in elections is also evidenced by the voter turnout figures in the recent Local Self-Government Body (LSGB) elections: 43% in Gyumri and 45% in […]

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Democracy Watch

Administrative Resources and an Uneven Playing Field Ahead of Elections

By Tigran Grigoryan On November 22, Yerevan hosted the first conference of Armenia’s state administration representatives, an event attended by more than 7,000 state and municipal employees. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivered a keynote speech packed with political and ideological messages – many of which are expected to form the backbone of the ruling party’s […]

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Publications

Invisible Barrels: How Azerbaijan Hides Its Oil Shipments to Israel

According to Oil Change International, between November 1, 2023 and October 1, 2025, Israel received 17.9 million tons of oil from 12 countries, with around 70% of the total coming from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The largest supplier is listed as “Turkey (Azeri)” – 7.146 million tons delivered by 61 tankers entering Israeli ports. Formally, the […]

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Publications

Opposition Bloggers Detained in Armenia: Implications for Free Speech and Political Discourse

By Tigran Grigoryan and Tatev Ghazaryan On November 13, at 7 a.m., masked officers of Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) raided the homes of opposition bloggers and activists Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelian, arresting both men. Later the same day, they were charged with hooliganism and placed in two months’ pre-trial detention. Law enforcement also […]

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Publications

Democracy Under Pressure: The Role of Civil Society in Armenia

By Tigran Grigoryan In recent months, developments in Armenia’s domestic political life have increasingly reflected a serious democratic backslide. The country’s law enforcement and judicial systems have been instrumentalized to serve the ruling party’s internal political interests. Selective justice, the use of disproportionate legal measures, and illegal wiretapping to persecute political opponents have become commonplace […]

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Publications

Baku 2025: The Israeli Arsenal on Display

The parade of the armed forces of Azerbaijan on November 8, 2025, in Baku became a showcase for the newest Israeli military technologies. The demonstration of weaponry and military equipment was notable for the abundance of the newest Israeli armaments, which underlined that the share of Israeli high-tech systems in the Azerbaijani army’s arsenal continues […]

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Publications

French Parliamentary Report: Export Licenses Open the Door to Major Defense Acquisitions for Armenia

The Report to the French Parliament on Arms Exports for 2024, prepared in the summer of 2025 by the French government, recorded the beginning of growing military cooperation with Armenia. In the section “Support for Armenia,” the report clearly states that France firmly supports Armenia in defending its territory and population, acting strictly within defensive […]

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Publications

Big Brother is Watching You: Surveillance, Leaks, and Democratic Backsliding

By Tigran Grigoryan On May 30, at the very beginning of the current phase of confrontation between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the country’s ruling party, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made his infamous Facebook post: “Reverend, go on and keep banging your uncle’s wife – what do you want from me?” What initially seemed like a […]

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Democracy Watch

Criminal Justice as a Political Tool in Armenia

By Tigran Grigoryan On October 15, the Investigative Committee of Armenia detained ten clergymen from the Aragatsotn Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and conducted a search at the diocesan headquarters. The following day, authorities revealed that three individuals had been formally arrested, including the head of the diocese, Bishop Mkrtych Proshyan. The charges against […]

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