Stories about Armenia from May, 2009
Armenia: Yerevan sails into election week
Responding to a tweet sent out an hour earlier, Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor photographs and comments on the appearance of what might be the latest obstacle placed in the way of the Armenian opposition ahead of this weekend's municipal election — a replica of a 13th century ship.
Armenia: Nationalist Revisionism, Deception
Unzipped comments on the the appearance of election campaign posters for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) ahead of this weekend's municipal vote in Yerevan. The blog notes that the party appears to be pushing its position on relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey to voters and even uses photographs...
Armenia: Belated election blogging
Unzipped says that the incumbent Mayor of Yerevan, Gagik Beglarian [AM], has started blogging ahead of next week's municipal election in the Armenian capital. However, the blog wonders why the blog has appeared only a week before the potentially controversial vote, but also says that with comments so far heaping...
Armenia: Eurovision Bribes
Adding to the existing controversy surrounding this year's Eurovision international song contest, In Mutatione Fortitudo says that Russian bloggers have been receiving emails from an Armenian offering payment for publishing an article accusing Azerbaijan of bribing various competition juries.
Armenia: Jethro Tull in Yerevan
A day before their concert in Yerevan, Armenia, Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor interviews Ian Anderson from the legendary British folk-rock band, Jethro Tull.
Caucasus: Mutual self-destruction
Security in the Caucasus and beyond… comments on the tendency of Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian nationalists to selectively use and manipulate history to justify territorial claims on each other as well as to perpetuate ethnic hatred. The specialist blog concludes that its time for the South Caucasus to decide between...
Azerbaijan: Nationalism fatigue
Fighting windmills? Take a pill, a new English-language Azerbaijani blog, comments on last weekend's Eurovision Song Contest held in Moscow. The blog laments the nationalism and petty antics displayed by both Armenians and Azeris towards each other during the international music competition.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Political Eurovision
As voting for the Eurovision Song Contest gets underway in Moscow, bartlemot tweets that the telephone number to vote for the Armenian entry in Azerbaijan was censored. In a second tweet, the same user says that instead of displaying a telephone number in the lower section of the screen it...
Armenia: Online insult leads to tragedy
Blogian comments on the killing of a teenager in Armenia's second largest city of Gyumri after he reportedly insulted a local girl on Odnoklassniki, the Russian equivalent of Facebook. The blog says that the story is indicative of a culture of violence, relationships between men and women, and a failed...
Armenia: Eurovision Reaction
Ianyan rounds up the reaction to Armenia's entry in this year Eurovision Song Contest currently under way in Moscow. The blog says that the two singers, Inga and Anush, could be described as “traditional Armenian wear meets Star Wars meets Diva Plavalaguna from The Fifth Element.”
Armenia: Transgender video blogging
Unzipped comments on news that transgender blogger Hye Trent will be video blogging his physical transformations during surgery and other procedures. The blog says the move is unprecedented and brave.
Armenia: Banned TV station resumes broadcasting… via mobile
Writing on the Frontline Club blog, Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor comments on a new service introduced this week by the banned pro-opposition TV station A1 Plus to offer video news services via mobile. The entry also looks at the larger issue of alternative voices going online to circumvent government...
Armenia: Yerevan election update
Writing for the Frontline Club blog, Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor rounds up some of the latest developments in this month's crucial municipal election in Yerevan. In particular, the entry singles out two incidents involving police and opposition supporters as well as an aborted assault on a local journalist.
Armenia: Shooting the messenger (reprise)
Security, in the Caucasus and beyond…. follows up its first commentary on the nationalist reaction to talk of a breakthrough in talks to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey. In its second post, the blogs examines recommendations made by the International Crisis Group (ICG).
Armenia: Opposition TV goes mobile
Unzipped welcomes the introduction of a new mobile phone news service by the banned A1 Plus pro-opposition TV station in Armenia. The blog says that once again modern technology is breaking state-imposed censorship.
Armenia: Tensions rise ahead of municipal vote
The Caucasian Knot, the blog of Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor, carries a report on yesterday's pre-election campaign by the extra-parliamentary opposition. The blog includes video originally streamed live from the scene of a brief clash between police and opposition supporters. Unzipped also posts the video while Tzitzernak2 says that...
Armenia: No policies, but plenty of perks
The Caucasian Knot, the blog of Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor posts an account, photographs and video of yesterdays pre-election campaign rally by the governmental Prosperous Armenia political party. The blog notes that back yards were asphalted just hours before the meeting and a free concert appeared to replace offering...
Armenia: May Day opposition rally
The Caucasian Knot, the blog of Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor, posts an account as well as videos and photographs shot on mobile and originally uploaded or streamed live to various online sites of today's opposition rally in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, ahead of the municipal election to be held...
