Breaking
21 years ago on February 19, Armenian army officer Gurgen Margaryan was brutally murdered in Hungary by Azerbaijani Lieutenant Ramil Safarov. Despite being sentenced to life in prison, Safarov was later extradited to Azerbaijan, where he received a hero’s welcome and was pardoned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found Azerbaijan guilty in this historic murder case.
Armenia’s FM Mirzoyan at UN Human Rights Council: Azerbaijan’s Actions Continue to Undermine Armenia’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity
“Statements coming from our eastern neighbor continue to question the territorial integrity of Armenia, despite the recognition of each other’s territorial integrity based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration,” said Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in his speech at the UN Human Rights Council.
The Foreign Minister further condemned Azerbaijan’s treatment of Armenian detainees, stating: “As we speak, the mock trials against 23 Armenian individuals – who are arbitrarily detained, are taking place in Azerbaijan with disregard of human rights standards for due process.”
Azerbaijan’s Ethnic Cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh and Genocidal Policy
“This So-Called Trial is an Attempt to Criminalize All Armenians” – Ruben Vardanyan Begins Hunger Strike, Denounces Judicial Farce in Azerbaijan
Ruben Vardanyan, former state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, has declared a hunger strike in protest against the “judicial farce” he is facing in Azerbaijan. In a message to the international community, he condemned the blatant violations of Azerbaijani procedural law and international law in his case.
Vardanyan warned world leaders that “silence in the face of such violations paves the way for future tragedies, fueling hostility and a new wave of hatred.”
FM Mirzoyan Highlights Illegal Detention of Armenian POWs and Civilians in Azerbaijan During UN Meeting
On February 25, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva. They discussed regional developments, international human rights challenges, and the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Mirzoyan highlighted the urgent need to address humanitarian issues, including the release of Armenian POWs and civilian hostages held illegally in Azerbaijan. The two also exchanged views on the security situation in the South Caucasus.
International Humanitarian Law Was Defeated in Nagorno-Karabakh – Armenian Speaker at EU- Armenia PPC Meeting
During the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee session in Yerevan, Armenian Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan thanked Members of the European Parliament for condemning Azerbaijan’s actions in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the aggression, the failure to release Armenian prisoners, and the violations of human rights. He expressed hope for closer cooperation with the European Parliament but also pointed out that despite these reactions, “international humanitarian law was subdued in Nagorno-Karabakh.” Simonyan highlighted the displacement of Armenians, the occupation of sovereign territory, and the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage as key issues.
Armenian Deputy FM Hovhannisyan: Continued Detention of Armenian Prisoners in Azerbaijan is Shameful
Driven by Fear from Nagorno-Karabakh
Uncertain Future for the Refugees from Nagorno- Karabakh
”Not a day goes by without me thinking about my home. I don’t know how to stop thinking about it.”
Armen Harutyunyan, a refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh
429 Individuals Still Missing Following 2020-2023 Nagorno- Karabakh Conflict Escalations – ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported on February 24 that 429 individuals remain missing in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict escalations from 2020 to 2023. The missing persons are identified through requests from affected families. The ICRC also highlighted that in 2024, they received 1,290 inquiries regarding conflict-related family separations, including 62 requests for assistance in clarifying the fate of missing relatives.
Photo of the Week
Against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains, the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) monitors patrol the Armenian side of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The moment marks the beginning of EUMA’s new mandate and its second anniversary.
Photo Courtesy of EUMA.
Security
Armenia and U.S. Discuss Strategic Partnership and Regional Peace at Pentagon
Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Lilit Makunts met with U.S. officials at the Department of Defense to discuss the Armenia-U.S. strategic partnership and the South Caucasus peace process. Following the meeting, she stated, “Had a great engagement at the Pentagon. We spoke about Armenia-U.S. strategic partnership and the peace process in the South Caucasus region. Armenia values the collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense and looks forward to continuing our partnership.”
NATO’s JFC Brunssum Launches Partner Capacity Training in Armenia
Armenia’s EU Integration and Regional Peace Discussed in Italian Senate
The Standing Committee on EU Policies in the Senate of Italy held a hearing dedicated to Armenia, focusing on key issues such as the peace treaty, the Crossroads of Peace project, Armenia’s European integration agenda, ongoing democratic reforms, and the urgent need for the repatriation of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan. Discussions also covered the broader implications of these developments for regional stability and cooperation.
EU Views its Mission in Armenia as Useful Tool for Stability in the South Caucasus – Head of the EUMA
EU Ambassador Maragos Highlights Strong Ties with Armenia at Parliamentary Meeting
At the 4th Meeting of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee in Yerevan, Ambassador Vassilis Maragos, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, emphasized that the relationship between Armenia and the EU has never been stronger. Maragos outlined the EU’s support for Armenia in areas such as political dialogue, democratic reforms, and regional stability.
MEP Ušakovs: EU and Armenia Enjoy Strongest Relations Yet
Iceland Reaffirms Support for Armenia’s European Aspirations and Strengthens Cooperation
PM Pashinyan Receives Delegation of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee
Swedish MP Praises Armenia’s EU Integration as a ‘Big Step in the Right Direction’
Economy
Armenia’s Economy Grows by 5.9% in 2024
opinion
Trump Сan do what Biden Аailed to do with Armenia By Stephan Pechdimaldj
“Kamala Harris did nothing as 120,000 Armenian Christians were horrifically persecuted and forcibly displaced in Artsakh. Christians around the world will not be safe if Kamala Harris is President of the United States. When I am President, I will protect persecuted Christians, I will work to stop the violence and ethnic cleansing, and we will restore peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
This statement was made by Donald Trump on his Truth Social account last October during the heat of the U.S. presidential campaign. It was Trump’s attempt to curry favor with Evangelicals while also distinguishing his foreign policy bona fides with the Biden/Harris administration. It also showed a side of him that the public rarely sees.
The Armenians of the Holy Land in Israel’s Crosshairs
By Tigran Yegavian
Just as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrapped up his visit to Jerusalem, where he assured an Armenian Patriarchate representative that the U.S. would work to safeguard the Christian presence in Israel, preventing a repetition of the massive decline in population that has befallen them elsewhere in the Middle East, the Armenian Quarter has once again come under threat.
Will the Sea-Change in U.S.-Russian Relations Lead to peace for Armenia?
By John Eibner
Now is the time for the United States to make good on that pledge, together with cooperative European allies. The safe, dignified return of all those ethnically cleansed from Nagorno Karabakh, with full human rights guaranteed by both the United States and Russia, is the key to the fulfilment of the president’s pledge.
Foreclosure of Armenian Patriarchate Properties Threatens Christians in the Holy Land
By Bedross Der Matossian
Neither is it merely a local issue; it has implications for Christians around the world, particularly those who hold the city of Jerusalem in deep religious reverence. The international community must take note of these developments, as the outcome of this dispute will shape the future of Jerusalem’s status as a city of shared religious heritage for Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike.