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Yezidis in Armenia
Recently EurasiaNet reported that Yezidis in Armenia have requested the authorities in Yerevan assist their counterparts in Iraqi Kurdistan who are experiencing violent attacks from Kurds for selling alcohol. Despite non-Muslims apparently being allowed to do so, militias are reportedly attacking shops owned by Christians and Yezidis.
Homophobia in the South Caucasus
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso has just published my latest article on aborted plans to introduce legislation to prohibit ‘gay propaganda’ that might result in the ‘distorted understanding’ that gay and heterosexual relations are ‘socially equivalent’ in Armenia. The move follows the introduction of similar legislation in Russia.
Tbilisi’s Armenian “Azeri Teahouse”
Walking through Tbilisi’s Old Town, it seemed only natural to pop in to my favorite teahouse in Tbilisi. Run by ethnic Armenians from Azerbaijan, I’ve taken countless Armenian and Azerbaijani journalists to the chaikhana and with good reason — it’s a breath of fresh air in the conflict-riven South Caucasus. Alas, when I got there it was already dark so the light was only artificial and less than perfect, but anyway, some photos from tonight.
Mental Health in Armenia
Aside from conflict, elections, and minorities, much of my work in Armenia focused on social vulnerability and related issues. As with some of my work in Georgia, one of those connected topics has been the issue of children deprived of parental care, and especially those with disabilities.
Image Copyright and Watermarking
The photograph above was taken at an opposition rally in Yerevan, Armenia, in October 2007. By January 2008, ahead of the February Presidential Election, the opposition had used it as one of the main images for their campaign website. Contacting them, they did at least agree to pay me $100 for use of the image online, but what they didn’t tell me was that they’d also use it as the main image for posters, banners, badges, and sticker labels.
Orthodox Church Goes On The Rampage in Georgia
Recent events in Georgian capital Tbilisi are alarming many who hoped progressive views might win out over more intolerant, traditional values.
Elva: Crowdsourcing Conflict in the South Caucasus
Elva is a platform developed in Georgia that allows to easily receive feedback from local communities via SMS. Successfully used to map local needs along the ABL with South Ossetia, it could soon be used elsewhere
Social Media in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
While it might be nearly 19 years since a May 1994 ceasefire put the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh on hold, analysts are increasingly viewing the situation on the Line of Contact (LOC) with alarm. Over 20,000 died in the war waged in the early 1990s and a million were forced to flee their homes. Frontline skirmishes and sniper incidents remain common with The Economist recently putting the number of dead since the armistice at over 3,000. More significantly, new generations are brought up unable to remember the time when both Armenians and Azerbaijanis lived side by side together in peace.
Ashiq Nargile, Ethnic Azerbaijani Musician
A new generation of ethnic Azeri Ashiqs is forming in Georgia, with Nargile Mehtiyeva at the forefront of the tradition. Regularly performing at festivals in Turkey, Mehtiyeva is also resurrecting the tradition of female Ashiqs among the younger generation.