December has been a bit of a respite from the constant (mostly tragic) news of the past months, and has even seen a few bright spots, such as the release of 32 prisoners of war from Azerbaijan after (in some cases) three whole years of captivity. The price of that was removing Armenia’s objection to Azerbaijan hosting COP29 in 2024. This has already begun the campaign to “greenwash” its reputation, and it appears unlikely to launch another assault on Armenia in the run-up to its turn in the international spotlight. However nothing is certain, and it hasn’t deterred Aliyev from his latest campaign of arresting even-less-impactful oppositional and activist figures.
Driven by the values of humanism & as a gesture of goodwill Image may be NSFW.
— Nikol Pashinyan (@NikolPashinyan) December 7, 2023
Clik here to view.releases 32 Armenian military servicemen.
In its turn, driven by the values of humanism & as a gesture of goodwill Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The announcement of the prisoner release was made on December 7, however days went by without further action, causing many to wonder what was going on. As it turns out, the release did go ahead on December 13 (though without Vicken Euljekian whose name had been on an initial list circulated in the Azerbaijani press). The reason for the delay was then explained that COP28 had to end first and Azerbaijan be officially granted the next hosting right by Armenia withdrawing its veto for the release to happen. Armenia also had to release two Azerbaijanis it had captured on Armenian territory earlier this year, one of whom had murdered the guard of an industrial plant.
The COP28 Presidency congratulates Azerbaijan for being chosen to host COP29 next year Image may be NSFW.
— COP28 UAE (@COP28_UAE) December 11, 2023
Clik here to view.
We look forward to working together to continue building momentum on climate action, ensuring we keep 1.5°C within reach and leave no one behind. pic.twitter.com/VjCzXfKAUA
What will COP29 bring for Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the world? People have already pointed out, with COP28 held in the United Arab Emirates, this makes the second year in a row the climate change environmental conference will be held in an oil-producing autocratic nation, which one would think goes against the spirit of the conference.
People are taking notice of this, and while Azerbaijan has good reason to see hosting COP29 as quite a coup, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be simple or all good publicity. Arguably, they will be getting much more scrutiny because of it than they would have otherwise, something no doubt its social media bot army will actively push against.
More frustration over the appearance of Azerbaijan being “rewarded” with COP29 mere weeks after ethnically cleansing Nagorno-Karabakh.
The past month also saw a significant worsening in relations between Azerbaijan and the United States. Just look at the tone the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the US uses to describe the representatives of a federal government entity tasked with protecting religious freedom, something Azerbaijan likes to claim it does, but which their recently issued report demonstrates is not the case. As Azerbaijani academic said in response: “I like how the state discourse in post-war Azerbaijan is now fully ‘decolonized’ and turned to fierce anti-Westernism, illiberalism and pan-Turanist fantasy.”
While Azerbaijan tries to eagerly promote itself as extremely tolerant, often using its military and energy-based ties with Israel and a small Azerbaijani-Jewish community to demonstrate, it issues equal amounts of propaganda to paint Armenia in the opposite light. For example the “false flag” synagogue arson operation allegedly carried out by a Russian citizen of undisclosed origin last month. Any positive mention of Armenia’s Jewish community on Twitter results in a deluge of Azerbaijani accounts claiming the reverse. Israel’s National Security Council is probably as good a source as any on this matter, and despite all the propaganda, they have declared Armenia in the category of safest for Jews, something Azerbaijan is not. Whatever else Azerbaijan continues to claim on the matter is just noise.
Image may be NSFW.
— Dor Shabashewitz (@shabashewitz) December 10, 2023
Clik here to view.Azerbaijani propagandists and other anti-Armenian speakers love portraying Armenia as an extremely homogenous, monoethnic country. I’m not sure why this would necessarily be a bad thing, but it’s not even true. A small thread on Armenia’s diversity. 1/18 pic.twitter.com/ypI4FnieUH
Azerbaijan’s attempts to taint Armenia’s minority rights reputation has led to a bigger focus on what it is like for minority groups in Armenia and who they are. This tweet thread gives a thorough analysis on Armenian diversity: who they are, what they are like, and how they are treated. Besides the traditional minority groups such as Molokans, Pontic Greeks, Assyrians, and Yazidi, Armenia has become more diverse in recent years not just by the influx of Russians but a still under-the-radar but increasing number of Indians, already totaling in the tens of thousands.
1/10 Over the past two months, I've spoken with dozens of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees living across Armenia, visiting them to understand their challenges. The Armenian government and foreign donors must address these issues to ensure successful integration into Armenian society. Image may be NSFW.
— Olesya Vartanyan (@Olesya_vArt) December 12, 2023
Clik here to view.pic.twitter.com/sPqqTf6Pna
While some might not consider Artsakh Armenians to be adding to Armenia’s diversity since they are Armenian, they most certainly have their own traditions, culture, and dialect too. Getting them integrated into society here and able to support themselves is a major challenge, one which likely isn’t getting enough attention, as this tweet thread analyzes.
Still not in Armenia are the former presidents of Artsakh and other officials, including Ruben Vardanyan. The renowned risk analyst and author Nassim Nicholas Taleb tweeted a call for his release after a trip to Yerevan, during which the Armenian language version of some of his work was published.
Some have said Azerbaijan’s success in the 2020 war emboldened Russia to invade Ukraine, and now it seems the 2023 ethnic cleansing operation has similarly encouraged the president of Serbia to do the same with Kosovo. There are also undeniable parallels in Israel’s encouraging of a “population transfer” of Gazans into Egypt’s Sinai peninsula as a “final solution” (yes, that phrase was actually utilized) to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, at least as it regards Gaza.
We don’t see much from Nagorno-Karabakh, but when we do, it appears Azerbaijan is simultaneously appropriating and destroying private property as it claims Armenians are “welcome to return”, if they take Azerbaijani citizenship.
Azerbaijani officials and their propagandists were in town for a football match at Stepanakert’s stadium, during which President Ilham Aliyev gave yet another fiery speech in celebration at the ethnic cleansing of Armenians.
A double-refugee’s wish for the new year.
Caucasus Heritage Watch continues to do its vital work which is very worthy of support.
Image may be NSFW.
— Nagorno Karabakh Observer (@NKobserver) December 27, 2023
Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Four countries seen in one picture taken by the EU monitoring mission to Armenia. Photographed just metres from Azerbaijan's border near Khachik village, Armenia one sees Azerbaijan's Nakhichevan exclave, further down one sees Iran and finally Mount Ararat in Turkey. https://t.co/F1dkERO6zp pic.twitter.com/GNfs8VsX5Y
As negotiations continue which could reshape the region, a pictorial reminder of how Armenia really is a regional crossroads.
Image may be NSFW.
— Kegham Balian (@kbalian90) December 28, 2023
Clik here to view.BREAKINGImage may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.: VIOLENT MOB ATTACKS ARMENIANS ON ARMENIAN PROPERTY!!!
A group of 30 men mounted an assault on the Cows' Garden property located within the Armenian Quarter.
A dozen Armenians were brutally assaulted.
Two Armenians have been detained by the Israeli Police. pic.twitter.com/gwziFIToNz
As if the destruction of the Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh wasn’t enough this year, the one in Jerusalem has also come under assault- not just existentially but physically. Check out CivilNet’s special report on the situation.
I brought Grandpa to the premiere of "The Promise" in LA in 2017. It was a very special night to share with him. pic.twitter.com/o3JAUyx6B3
— Alexis Ohanian Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.(@alexisohanian) December 15, 2023
“The Mayor of the Internet” Alexis Ohanian posted this thread in memory of his grandfather, born to refugees from Kharpert in New York, who passed away just short of his 102nd birthday.
On a meeting with #ArmenianImage may be NSFW.
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) December 13, 2023
Clik here to view.foreign minister @AraratMirzoyan I emphazised that it’s #Estonian dept to Armenia that we haven’t recognized genocide against Armenian people & I will start the process in EstonianImage may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.parliament.
Meanwhile Estonia announced that it will be moving forward with officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide of 1915, something to watch.
And finally… How many of these “Amazing Armenian” questions can you answer, as seen on the hit American TV show Jeopardy!?
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