Russia bars entry of Armenian cargo at Georgian border
The reports of the blockage comes after Russian authorities fined the drivers for incorrectly parking.| OC Media
The reports of the blockage comes after Russian authorities fined the drivers for incorrectly parking.| OC Media
Under the new laws, Armenians can stay in Russia visa-free for 90 days, down from the previous allowance of 180 days.| OC Media
President Ilham Aliyev pledged it would be a new era of bilateral relations.| OC Media
What connection Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov has to Soviet veterans remains unclear.| OC Media
Raids were also conducted on the homes of former security chief Grigol Liluashvili and former Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze.| OC Media
The new arrests have brought the official number of detainees in the case to 62.| OC Media
The operation reportedly involved the unregulated trade of ‘hundreds of millions of lari’.| OC Media
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze presented the reform concept on Thursday.| OC Media
Ramiz Mehdiyev, a longtime confidant of former President Heydar Aliyev, was arrested and charged with treason on Tuesday.| OC Media
The founder of the Gulagu.net project, Vladimir Osechkin, appears to have been the intended victim.| OC Media
Petr Yan said he wouldn’t recognise Chechen fighter Khamzat Chimaev as a ‘Russian UFC champion’ because he fights under the UAE flag.| OC Media
Off camera, Zamid Chalaev admitted that he received each award for killing a specific person.| OC Media
Armenia * Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has arrested the former mayor of Ijevan, Varuzhan Nersisyan, and his son as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. In a written response to news.am, the committee confirmed that Nersisyan was detained on charges of money laundering and abuse of official authority. According to news.am’s sources, the case concerns the alleged illegal allocation of land in Ijevan. * The EU’s investments in Armenia are expected to reach €2.5 billion ($2.9...| OC Media
After the unfulfilled ‘peaceful revolution’ of 4 October, Georgia’s anti-government movement continues amidst debate, repression, and uncertainty.| OC Media
The laws were fast-tracked and passed unanimously in a parliament fully controlled by the ruling party.| OC Media
As a result, Islam Huseynov also faces deportation from Russia.| OC Media
Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan’s detention marks the third high-ranking arrest as the government cracks down on the church.| OC Media
Many now face deportation from Russia after new rules shortened the length of stay permitted for foreign drivers.| OC Media
Ratiani was detained on charges of assaulting a police officer.| OC Media
Nino Datashvili’s lawyers consider the prosecutor’s demand to be a punitive measure.| OC Media
Like journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, the court downgraded Ratiani’s charges in a last minute decision ahead of sentencing.| OC Media
Clashes broke out on Atoneli Street, near the presidential residence, at around 19:00 Tbilisi time. This followed a call from one of the rally’s proponents, after which a part of the protest moved there from Liberty Square and attempted to storm the palace. Police intervened, using water cannons, pepper spray, and tear gas against the protesters, who in response built barricades and set fires. The clashes flared up periodically. Branded as a ‘peaceful revolution’ and ‘national assembl...| OC Media
Robin joined OC Media at its founding in 2017 after working in Georgia’s NGO sector. His focus on human rights and social justice drives his commitment to giving marginalised voices a platform. He’s also known for his love of hiking, KFC, and the Oxford comma.| OC Media
Mikheil joined OC Media after a long career as a journalist at Netgazeti, focusing on politics, human rights and the wider region. He has an academic background in Arabic Studies and maintains a strong interest in Arabic language, Egyptian cinema, and the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.| OC Media
Azerbaijan has long been at odds with France, largely over French support for Armenia.| OC Media
The total number of detainees following Saturday’s events has reached 36.| OC Media
Armenia views the term as containing territorial claims against it.| OC Media
A brief attempt to storm the presidential palace pushed back by police.| OC Media
Georgia is witnessing two historic events: a partial boycott and a ‘peaceful revolution’ announced by some opposition members.| OC Media
Besarion Alavidze’s 2.5-hour interview was published on Thursday.| OC Media
As Georgia continues to backslide on its commitments to both the EU and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly SDG5 on gender equality — Tamar Dekanosidze discusses the chilling effects of newly enacted legislation, from the controversial foreign agent law to the erasure of the word ‘gender’ from national law.| OC Media
Krasnodar’s regional appellate court has upheld a fine against Ruslan Gvashev, a former Circassian leader, for performing a traditional Circassian prayer. The court rejected Gvashev’s complaint on 16 October, Caucasian Knot reported, despite his lawyers claiming his right to freedom of religion had been violated. Gvashev, currently staying at a sanatorium in Kabardino-Balkaria, was reportedly unable to attend the hearing. Gvashev performed the prayer on 21 May, which marks the Day of Reme| OC Media
Ukraine is the second country to recognise the Circassian Genocide after Georgia.| OC Media
Ruslan Gvashev, a 67-year-old Circassian activist who was fined for performing a traditional Circassian prayer in public, has ended his hunger strike after 25 days. The appeal against his fine has been postponed. Krasnodar’s regional appellate court was due to make a final decision on whether to overturn the fine against him on 5 October, but the hearing was postponed until 14 October. After dozens of supporters gathered at the court and urged him to stop, he announced he would abandon h| OC Media
Regional * European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the US-brokered Armenia–Azerbaijan peace agreements during a meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Copenhagen. They called the Washington summit a ‘crucial step’ toward regional peace and stability. Pashinyan reiterated that peace has already been established following his August 8 talks with President Ilham Aliyev hosted by President Donald Trump. * Pashinyan and ...| OC Media
Temirlan Machalikashvili, 19, was shot dead in his bed in the Pankisi Valley by heavily armed and masked Georgian security officers during a counterterror sweep in 2017.| OC Media
2008 August WarUS sits out joint UN Security Council statement condemning Russia over 2008 August War| OC Media
As the number of arrests in the wake of November’s deadly counterterror siege grows, the killing by security forces of a 19-year-old in Pankisi has caused controversy. A 19-year-old terror suspect has died 15 days after being shot in the head, during a special operation in Georgia’s Pankisi Valley. Temirlan Machalikashvili, an ethnic Kist, was fatally wounded in his house on 26 December as Georgian security forces conducted a counterterror sweep. While the State Security Service of Geor| OC Media
Tbilisi City Court delivered verdicts for eight protesters on Tuesday.| OC Media
Giorgi Mindadze was the latest Georgian protester to receive a multi-year prison sentence.| OC Media
Critics see the ongoing case as yet another attack on civil society.| OC Media
Twenty-one Georgian online media outlets temporarily went offline on Wednesday in a campaign to raise awareness over press freedom in the country.| OC Media
In Georgia, many civil society and media organisations rely on foreign grants for their operations.| OC Media
The inquiry has heightened concerns about the recent restrictive laws passed by Georgian Dream.| OC Media
The Georgian authorities have already targeted civil society under a number of other laws.| OC Media
Regional * Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has met with his Abkhazian and South Ossetian counterparts, Oleg Bartsits and Akhsar Dzhioev respectively, in Sochi. Following the meeting, both Abkhazia and South Ossetia signed a plan for consultations between their respective foreign ministries and the Russian Foreign Ministry for 2026–2027. * Lavrov also announced that a state programme for the socio-economic development of South Ossetia for 2026–2030 was being developed with Russian a...| OC Media
OC Media has learned that at least five media outlets have been affected by the inquiries.| OC Media
Separately, a journalist from Germany was forced to pay a hefty fine for ‘blocking a road’ during a protest before being let into Georgia.| OC Media
Armenia * The Kremlin press service has announced that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will participate in the Global Nuclear Conference held in Moscow today. The forum is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Russian nuclear industry, and will see participation from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenka, as well as representatives from Myanmar, Ethiopia, Iran, Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Niger. * The Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction has found Archb| OC Media
Regional * Saturday marked the fifth anniversary of the start of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. * That same day, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gave a speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. He dedicated much of his time to the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process, calling on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to explain his use of the term ‘Zangezur corridor’, which Armenia perceives to be a territorial claim. Pashinyan also discussed Armenia’s EU aspirations, c...| OC Media
Regional * Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefly met during the Transatlantic Dinner hosted by Rubio on Wednesday. Armenia’s Foreign Ministry reported the contacts, while also emphasising that Armenia ‘highly appreciates the continued active involvement’ of the US in further strengthening the ‘already established’ peace. * The Armenian Court of Appeals has upheld the detention of Georgia...| OC Media
The mothers of Georgians arrested during the protests have been travelling across the country to share letters from their imprisoned children.| OC Media
Armenia * Turkey’s flagship carrier, Turkish Airlines, has announced plans to begin regular direct flights to Yerevan. The decision follows recent diplomatic efforts to normalise ties between Armenia and Turkey after decades of closed borders and strained relations. Ankara has linked progress to the signing of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which Turkish officials expect in early 2026. * The US Embassy in Yerevan announced it will suspend regular updates on its Facebook page u| OC Media
Regional * During a regular meeting with the heads of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, in response to a speech from Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov, emphasised that it was necessary to refrain from using the controversial term ‘Zangezur corridor’. Grigoryan attended the meeting, which was hosted by Belarus, remotely. * South Ossetian Prime Minister Konstantin Dzhussoyev has met with his Abkhazian counterpart Vladimi...| OC Media
Azerbaijan’s stature as a regional player has significantly increased in recent years.| OC Media
News, commentary, multimedia, and investigations from the North and South Caucasus.| OC Media
Nana Babazade faces deportation to Azerbaijan, where she says her life could be in danger.| OC Media
Founded in 1824 in Austria, the leading insurance group in Central and Eastern Europe now unites around 50 companies in nearly 30 European countries, with a workforce of approximately 30,000 employees.| OC Media
According to investigators, 37-year-old Yury Boyko allegedly intended to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine.| OC Media
Tea Tsulukiani, a prominent MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, has threatened legal action against anyone spreading rumours about her ‘second marriage’. Tsulukiani already has a history of filing complaints and issuing legal threats against critics. Tsulukiani, who served as Justice Minister from 2012 to 2020 and Culture Minister from 2021 to 2024, posted the warning on Facebook on Wednesday. ‘All those who for the past two days have been spreading filth (claiming I remarried and ...| OC Media
The Prosecutor General’s Office accused the organisations of inciting violence.| OC Media
The preliminary statistics found that foreigners made up 6.6% of Georgia’s population in 2024, up from 0.6% in the 2014 census.| OC Media
Both groups boycotted the 2025 municipal elections.| OC Media
Kakha Kaladze has been the mayor of Tbilisi since 2017.| OC Media
Six other organisations received letters from the Anti-Corruption Bureau last week.| OC Media
Mayor Kakha Kaladze announced that the Tbilisi City Hall will launch a tender for the construction of a tram line.| OC Media
As the Israel-Hamas war continues, the North Caucasus has seen a number of violent antisemitic incidents. But while Russia maintains that the West and Ukraine are behind the events, others have suggested that the riots have offered an outlet for pent-up frustrations that cannot be expressed towards the government. On 29 October, more than a thousand people stormed Makhachkala airport, ahead of the expected arrival of a flight from Tel Aviv to the Daghestani capital. Footage from the scene| OC Media
Although the North Caucasus is distant from the front lines in Ukraine, almost everyone has felt the war’s effects.| OC Media
The decree was signed by Ingush Head Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov.| OC Media
In the Ingush language, Erzi, the name of the new battalion, means ‘eagle’.| OC Media
Eldar Shengelaia’s 1968 film is a layered parable on artistic individualism in the collectivist Soviet Union.| OC Media
Regional * Armenia officially confirmed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s two-day visit to the US, which will take place on 7–8 August. Pashinyan’s office noted that in Washington DC, he will have a bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump, as well as a trilateral meeting between Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, ‘aiming to advance peace, prosperity, and economic cooperation in the region’. * The Azerbaijani state-run media outlet Azertac wrote that President Ilh...| OC Media
Regional * On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot about the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to the State Department, the sides, among other issues, discussed ‘securing peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia’. * On Monday afternoon, the Armenian Defence Ministry reported a ceasefire violation case by Azerbaijan that same day. In turn, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry denied that its troops had opened fire. Accord...| OC Media
Regional * Yesterday, the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Armenpress that Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan would join Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as part of the Armenian delegation to Washington DC. Previously, Pashinyan’s Office announced that Pashinyan would visit the US from 7–8 August, during which he is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump as well as a trilateral meeting with Trump and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Armenia * The Investigative Com| OC Media
Open Caucasus Media brings you news, commentary, multimedia, and podcasts from the North and South Caucasus.| OC Media
Regional * A number of countries and organisations, including Turkey, France, Germany, Iran, Georgia, NATO, have welcomed the declaration between Armenia and Azerbaijan signed in Washington on 8 August, which included a plan to create a route connecting Azerbaijan and its exclave Nakhchivan through Armenian territory. * Russia reacted more negatively to the declaration, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova saying that the meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan| OC Media
While the meeting fell short of seeing Armenia and Azerbaijan sign an official peace deal, it represented a significant step forward.| OC Media
Amaghlobeli’s charges were downgraded at the last minute.| OC Media
Regional * Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have arrived in Washington, DC for respective talks with US President Donald Trump, which will be followed by a joint press conference. The talks are expected to be centered on the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the creation of a road connecting Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan, which will reportedly be created under the management of a US company and tentatively called th| OC Media
While a common front against Iran may be what the US and Israel are seeking from a trilateral alliance, Baku is unlikely to openly confront Tehran.| OC Media
Mzia Amaghlobeli was sentenced to two years in prison for slapping Batumi’s police chief.| OC Media
Georgian Dream has been accused of displaying a map of Georgia excluding Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They have since argued that the regions were outlined in grey, rendering them barely visible to cameras. The map was part of a presentation given by Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili about his party’s deployment of specially appointed delegates to electoral districts throughout Georgia, in an apparent attempt to counter allegations of using nontransparent resources and illegal tactics to| OC Media
