Latest posts by Onnik Krikorian from October, 2010
Georgia: Halloween protests & revelry
The Young Georgians examines the history of Halloween, and not least in Georgia where controversy often results in religious groups objecting to young people holding their own events. This year is no exception with Orthodox Christians planning to stage protests while several events in clubs and public gatherings are scheduled...
Armenia: Nationalist backlash against Azerbaijan film festival
Unzipped and Le Retour (in 3 Parts) comment on the nationalist backlash to a festival of films from Azerbaijan to be staged in Yerevan, Armenia, next week. The former says that the negative reaction is hypocritical when the same nationalists decry attempts to prevent artistic expression and freedom of speech...
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Online campaigns for the return of casualties of war
A campaign represented as being organized by ‘Armenian bloggers’ has been established to demand the return of the body of Manvel Sarinbekyan, an Armenian who reportedly hung himself while in detention after crossing the border with Azerbaijan.The campaign has been launched in both Russian and English. Meanwhile, and as the...
Georgia: Teach and Learn English
Dream is Destiny [GE] posts the addresses of the blogs established by some of the 350 native English-language speakers documenting their stay in Georgia as part of the new official policy to have English replace Russian as the second-language spoken by its citizens.
Armenia: Domestic Violence petition submitted
Following the recent outrage expressed by some Armenian bloggers following the death of a 20-year old woman at the hands of her husband and mother-in-law, Blogian says that the petition it set up to lobby the government to pass a law on domestic violence was signed by 3,196 individuals before...
Armenia: Prolific blogger suspended on LiveJournal
Kornelij Glas [RU] details the case of Pigh, an Armenian blogger prolific in the mutual tit-for-tat online information war with Azerbaijan and Turkey. Speaking to Global Voices, Pigh says that his blog on LiveJournal was suspended on 8 October after some Azerbaijanis made complaints to the site's administration which included...
Azerbaijan: Free Expression under Attack
Global Voices Advocacy features a guest post from Rebecca Vincent, Article 19's Advocacy Assistant for Azerbaijan. The post details the situation with freedom of expression in the oil-rich former Soviet republic and the case of imprisoned video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizade.
Azerbaijan: Visa restrictions ahead of parliamentary vote
Back in a Bit confirms that new visa restrictions on foreigners wishing to visit Azerbaijan are now in place, and ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for 7 November. Having arrived at the airport in the oil-rich country's capital, Baku, without a visa and with no warning from even the airline,...
Armenia: Blog Action Day
Writing on his official blog, the British Ambassador to Armenia, Charles Lonsdale, marks Blog Action Day by writing about Lake Sevan. Situated 1,900 meters above sea level, it is one of the largest high altitude lakes in the world. However, the diplomatic blogger notes, mismanagement and policies during the Soviet...
Caucasus: Attitudes to inter-ethnic marriage
After posting the results of a survey last year examining perceptions of inter-ethnic friendship in the South Caucasus, Social Science in Caucasus now posts information on attitudes to inter-ethnic marriage. According the results, 99% of Azerbaijanis disapprove of their women marrying Armenians while 92% of Armenians disapprove of marriage with...
Caucasus: Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian opposition parties in cooperation agreement
The Armenian Observer features a guest post from Uzogh [RU] on news that opposition parties in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia have signed a declaration on cooperation. The local blogger, however, remains less than convinced.
Caucasus: Women as a reflection of nationalism
Motherhood, Repatriation and other fictions comments on a recent event staged in Istanbul, Turkey, which women activists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Russia attended. The blog particularly examines the role of nationalism and patriarchal societies in peace-building and cross-border initiatives in the South Caucasus.
Azerbaijan: Blog Action Day
Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines marks Blog Action Day by examining the situation in its native Azerbaijan. The blog says that while the country is rich in energy, it lags behind in providing its citizens with clean drinking water with the situation even worse outside of the capital, Baku.
Azerbaijan: Satirical site blocked?
Quoting local media, Azeri Report says that a satirical site, Eqreb.com, has been blocked in Azerbaijan. Covering political developments in the oil-rich country, the site has been reported inaccessible since 8 October. On 7 November, Azerbaijanis go to the polls to elect a new parliament and so far users contacted...
Caucasus: Perceptions of inter-ethnic friendship
Social Science in the Caucasus posts the results of a survey held last year which includes data examining perceptions of inter-ethnic friendship in the South Caucasus. Riven by frozen conflicts and ethnic rivalry, the results show that 70 percent of Armenians disapprove of friendship with Azerbaijanis while 97 percent of...
Armenia: Domestic violence claims a life
The issue of domestic violence in Armenia is well known, albeit rarely spoken about openly. However, a video interview with the family of a young woman who died of injuries sustained after being beaten by her husband and his mother has shocked and angered many.
Armenia: Abuse in Yerevan school
Following the posting of video evidence of hazing in the army, Unzipped posts and comments on a video showing physical and verbal abuse in a local school. The blog, however, notes that the video was uploaded months earlier and is only now being slowly spread through Facebook. Nevertheless, it has...
Azerbaijan: Playing the Armenian card
As Azerbaijan prepares for parliamentary elections on 7 November, opposition bloggers are unhappy with the conduct of the vote so far. Now, they report, the local media is starting to publish what they consider to be black propaganda aimed at discrediting opposition candidates in the eyes of the electorate.
Azerbaijan: Up in flames
After erecting the tallest flag pole in the world and importing London taxi cabs to service the capital city, Baku, Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines says it is amazed at what it considers another waste of money — the construction of a fountain with a musical flame at its center.