Tigran Grigoryan

Criminal Justice as a Political Tool in Armenia - CIVILNET By Tigran Grigoryan #DemocracyWatch – On October 15, the Investigative Committee of Armenia detained ten clergymen from the Aragatsotn Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and conducted a search a...

#DemocracyWatch – 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.
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Two Years After September 19, 2023: Memory, Grief, and Political Silence - CIVILNET On September 19, 2023, I went to work as usual, with several meetings scheduled for the day. Before midday, a Georgian scholar who was working on a paper about the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukrai...

I have included some personal anecdotes and general observations in this column.

Armenia’s ruling party’s sexism problem - CIVILNET By Tigran Grigoryan and Tatev Ghazaryan On September 8, Armenia’s political discourse sank to a new low when Artur Hovhannisyan, secretary of the ruling Civil Contract faction, launched a personal and...

On September 8, Armenia’s political discourse sank to a new low when Artur Hovhannisyan, secretary of the ruling Civil Contract faction, launched a personal and sexist attack against opposition MP Taguhi Tovmasyan.
#democracywatch
@tigartsakh.bsky.social

Opinion | Sovereignty through defeat: Pashinyan’s reframing of Armenia’s post-2020 reality Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent comments on the Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict reflect a reframing of history for propaganda needs.

In this op-ed for OC Media, I explain how Nikol Pashinyan is attempting to portray the greatest catastrophe in recent Armenian history as a strategic success and opportunity, trying to avoid responsibility. I also discuss the evolution of these narratives.

What Lavrov’s Visit and Iran-Azerbaijan Drills Mean for Armenia: Interview with RFE/RL — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

In this interview with Radio Free Europe's Armenian Service, published a couple of days ago, I discuss not only Lavrov's visit to Armenia but also the joint Azerbaijan-Iran military drills held in Nagorno-Karabakh. Read the English transcript.

Lavrov's Yerevan Visit: Crisis Management, Not Alliance Revival - CIVILNET By Tigran Grigoryan Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid a working visit to Armenia on Wednesday following earlier visits by his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan to Moscow and Prime Ministe...

I wrote a few words about Lavrov’s visit to Armenia—what it tells us about the current state of Armenia-Russia relations and how it fits into Yerevan’s increasingly situational and reactive foreign policy amid a volatile international environment.

Russia Reacts to Armenia’s Energy Diversification efforts: Interview with Tigran Grigoryan — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

Russia’s renewed nuclear energy push in Armenia signals growing concern over Yerevan’s broader diversification efforts. I break down Moscow’s reaction in this short RFE/RL interview. Read the English transcript.

Abraham Accords and the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff stated that Armenia and Azerbaijan could join the Abraham Accords. I delve into his statement in this week’s episode of my CivilNet podcast. Read the English transcript.

State-Sponsored Hate: How Armenia's Ruling Party and Pro-Government Media Target Karabakh Refugees - CIVILNET By Tigran Grigoryan and Aram Tadevosyan Following the March 29 rally organized by displaced Artsakh Armenians in Yerevan’s Freedom Square, the Armenian authorities and their affiliated media have continued a sustained campaign of hate speech and defamation against the participants. The primary cause of the demonstration was the government’s decision to scale back a social assistance program that covered housing expenses. During the rally, speakers also addressed the right of return and other related issues. The scale of the hate campaign targeting Artsakh refugees by Armenian officials and pro-government media outlets has grown to such an extent that it underscores […]

Following the March 29 rally organized by displaced Artsakh Armenians in Yerevan’s Freedom Square, the Armenian authorities and their affiliated media have continued a sustained campaign of hate speech and defamation against the participants.
#DemocracyWatch

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Armenia’s Nuclear Submarines and the Strangled Pigeon: Fighting Propaganda with Humor — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

It's April Fools' Day in Armenia, and I've written an essay on political satire as a powerful tool against propaganda. I share how one of my tweets helped debunk a disinformation narrative and the story behind the launch of the Strangled pigeon twitter account. Enjoy!

My comment for CivilNet on the Rubio-Pashinyan phone call.
www.civilnet.am/en/news/8245...

Sexism, Stereotypes, and Insults: Armenia’s Ruling Party’s Troubling Rhetoric - CIVILNET Armenian politicians face criticism for offensive language, including sexist attacks on journalists and ethnic stereotypes.

In my latest Democracy Watch piece, I discuss the concerning trend of Armenia's ruling party officials making sexist and offensive remarks about journalists and government critics, all without facing any accountability.

Azerbaijan – Armenia: Will the Peace Treaty Be a Step Toward Peace? — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

Discussed the finalization of the peace treaty text with Vadim Dubnov (RFE/RL) and exiled Azerbaijani analyst Rauf Mirkadyrov. Mirkadyrov's views on the process do not differ much from Azerbaijan's official stance. Read the English transcript of the discussion.

Policy Recommendation: Strengthening Refugee Assistance and Integration in Armenia he Regional Center for Democracy and Security (RCDS) convened the

In this policy recommendation, RCDS analyst Aram Tadevosyan summarizes the key problems in refugee support and integration discussed during our February conference and presents policy solutions.

This funding crisis is like the COVID of the nonprofit world. At first, you think it will pass you by, but nope—it hits. Then, you adapt to the new reality, hoping you'll emerge stronger and with immunity.

«Չճանաչված դիպլոմ». Վրաստանի բուհը արցախցուն դուրս է թողել ուսումնառությունից - CIVILNET Արցախից տեղահանված ուսանողն ընդունվել է Վրաստանի համալսարան, բայց ԱրՊՀ դիպլոմի չճանաչման պատճառով չի կարողանում շարունակել ուսումը։

This is such a shame. Georgian Institute of Public Affairs admitted a refugee from NK, only to declare months later that her Artsakh State University diploma is not recognized. Dozens of students with the same diploma have studied at the world's top universities.

Abandoning the EU Monitoring Mission Poses Significant Threats — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

I spoke with Azatutyun (RFE/RL) on Friday about the peace treaty. Given the latest unfortunate news, I can only hope that Azatutyun finds a way to continue its vital work, as it remains an indispensable outlet in Armenia. Read the English transcript:

Targeting the Free Press: The Ruling Party’s Smear Campaign Against Azatutyun - CIVILNET By Tigran Grigoryan The ruling Civil Contract party has launched a public smear campaign against Radio Free Europe/Radio Libety’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun). Two high-ranking government officials—Ar...

In recent years, Azatutyun has become Armenia's de facto Public TV, holding both the government and opposition accountable. Despite being available only on cable, it ranks as the third most-watched TV channel in the country. Here’s my recent piece on the ruling party's attacks against the outlet.

If Radio Free Europe's Armenian service shuts down, it will deal a huge blow to the entire Armenian media landscape. The space for independent journalism will shrink even further, deepening polarization and limiting access to credible information. We are witnessing truly dark times.

Armenia and Azerbaijan Finalize Peace Treaty Text: What Comes Next? — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

In my latest CivilNet podcast, I take a closer look at the finalized peace treaty text between Armenia and Azerbaijan, exploring its implications, potential risks, and what lies ahead. Read the English transcript.

A must-read piece from @tigartsakh.bsky.social

Through the deliberate erasure of entire neighborhoods and villages, and the settlement of people with no connection to these places, the Aliyev regime seeks not only to seize physical space but also to manipulate the collective memory of the region.

Armenia-Azerbaijan: Peace Treaty Agreed, But Signing of the Document Remains Uncertain - CIVILNET Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov announced today to local media that Armenia has accepted Azerbaijan’s proposals regarding the peace treaty, and the text has been fully agreed upon. Armeni...

I have written a quick piece on what today’s announcement about the agreement on the peace treaty text means, what to expect, and what not to expect.

Echoes of a Village: Memory and Erasure in Nagorno-Karabakh — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

Recently, Ilham Aliyev visited the Aygestan/Baluja village in Nagorno-Karabakh, where Azerbaijan has settled over 100 families with no connection to the area. In this deeply personal piece, I reflect on what the village means for my identity.

Azerbaijan’s Tightening Grip: Expelling International Organizations and Silencing Media Recently, the Azerbaijani authorities have made several decisions that effectively limit the presence of international organizations and independent media in th

RCDS analyst Eduard Arakelyan has been following Azerbaijan for years. He is also fluent in Azerbaijani. Read his take on Baku’s decision to expel multiple international organizations and media outlets.

'Both European institutions and individual states should condemn the trial instead of merely calling for a fair process.'

Armenia's international partners must unequivocally denounce the sham trial in Baku — Tigran Grigoryan Post by Tigran Grigoryan

In our new podcast episode, we discuss how Baku is attempting to weaponize the sham trials of Armenian POWs against Armenia, what Yerevan could have done, what it should do now, and how the Armenian public should respond. Read the English transcript.
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An ICRC spokesperson confirmed to Civilnet that they had been made aware of of the Azerbaijani government’s intentions for the ICRC to close the delegation in Azerbaijan. My comments:
www.civilnet.am/en/news/8207...

Anti-Karabakh Rhetoric in the Public Sphere and Politics: Causes and Ways to Counter It Intolerance between different segments of Armenian society has a long history

My RCDS colleague Aram Tadevosyan has written an important piece on anti-Karabakh narratives in Armenia and how to counter them.

While international partners still call for a "fair trial"—an impossibility under a regime built on ethnic cleansing, systemic hatred, and authoritarianism—Yerevan should have, and must now, work with them to fully denounce this farce before it's too late.