Stories about Armenia from June, 2012
Armenia: Intolerant Society
Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts a video animation produced by the Civilitas organization illustrating how intolerant society in the virtually mono-ethnic Republic of Armenia can be. The blog also notes that according to the data compiled from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Caucasus Research Resource Centers...
Georgia: Men Can Wash Their Own Feet
Making Connections not only posts a recent video by Georgian bloggers against homophobia, but also one calling for gender equality in the South Caucasus country. The blog notes that the second video, featuring Georgian men saying they can wash their own feet, is in response to a comment by the...
Armenia: Online Petition to Support LGBT Rights
Following the recent firebombing of a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan as well as homophobic comments from government officials and politicians setting the scene for the aggressive disruption of a diversity rally in the Armenian capital two weeks later, Unzipped draws its readers attention to a new online petition calling for...
Armenia: A Slow Descent Into Fascism?
Following the 8 May firebombing of a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan and the disruption by ultra-nationalists of a march for diversity two weeks later, the Huffington Posts asks if Armenia is slowly sliding towards fascism? In recent months nationalist actions have become more evident in the predominantly mono-ethnic country, including...
Nagorno Karabakh: Opposition Presidential Candidate Interviewed
CivilNet posts a video interview with Vitali Balasanyan [AM/EN], a former military commander and candidate running against the incumbent and defacto president of the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh in an election scheduled for 19 July. Although the vote is not recognized by the international community as legitimate, in another...
Georgia: Bloggers Against Homophobia
Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts a video by Georgian bloggers against homophobia set to the song F*ck You by Lily Allen. The move comes less than a month after a Gay Pride march in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, was disrupted by priests and conservative elements in society. The same month a...
Azerbaijan: British Embassy Awards 4,000th Facebook Page Member
The British Embassy in Azerbaijan has awarded the 4,000th member of its Facebook page with a certificate and a small prize. With the British Embassy in Armenia and Georgia boasting 1,526 and 2,581 likes respectively at time of writing, the announcement shows how diplomatic missions in the Caucasus are increasingly...
Armenia: Army Doctors Beaten In Oligarch's Restaurant
Unzipped comments on the severe beating of three army doctors dining out at a restaurant owned by notorious oligarch MP and Armenian Football Federation President Ruben Hayrapetyan. Better known by his ‘Nemetz Rubo’ nickname, the blog notes that the violent assault, allegedly by his bodyguards or security guards, is not...
Armenia: Bloggers Criticize Public TV Eurovision Coverage
Forced to reluctantly broadcast the final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Azerbaijan, Armenia's Public TV used the occasion to continue the ongoing information and propaganda war against its rival in the region. Some Armenian bloggers respond.
Caucasus: Photo Reports by a Belarusian Blogger
Eastern & Central Europe20 June 2012Ani Wandaryan (@GoldenTent) links to this photo report [ru] from Armenia by Anton Motolko, a photographer, blogger and traveller from Minsk, Belarus (LJ user toxaby, @Motolko). More of his photos [ru] – from Azerbaijan and from Georgia.
Armenia: Memories of Historic Yerevan Market
Ianyan takes its readers on a photographic tour of a closed market on one of the capital's main central streets. Taken over by a notorious oligarch, public reaction to demolish the ornate building in which the market is contained has been negative.
Armenia, Azerbaijan: Spectre of War in the South Caucasus?
Following clashes on the Line of Contact (LoC) separating Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, South Caucasus Diary ponders the likelihood of war once again breaking out over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. Meanwhile, Yerevan-based Armenian-American analyst Richard Giragosian tweets that Azerbaijan's new strategy appears to be reaching operational readiness for...
Armenia, Azerbaijan: Nagorno Karabakh Conflict Resumes… On Twitter
In war, as the old saying goes, the first casualty is always the truth. This is particularly true in the South Caucasus where the media in Armenia and Azerbaijan more often than not spreads misinformation or subjective propaganda concerning the long-running and unresolved conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. On 7 June that was certainly the case on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Armenia: U.S. Honors Human Rights Advocates
Unzipped comments on the award of three prizes recognizing human rights advocates in Armenia. The award ceremony, attended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, honored Artur Sakunts, whose office was recently attacked by nationalists, Tsovinar Nazarian, who campaigns against hazing in the military, and Epress, an online publication. The...
