Today, a festive military parade dedicated to the 108th anniversary of the First Republic took place in Yerevan’s Republic Square. As part of the parade, 3 cannon shots were fired, and the RA Armed Forces aviation also flew.

It seems that Nikol Pashinyan had planned this parade for political purposes for a long time, in order to use it for his own political PR exactly ten days before the elections.

Former ambassador and politician Edgar Ghazaryan also went to Republic Square for the parade. Speaking to us about the parade, he shared his impressions: “We will discuss the parameters and quality of the weapons that were shown in more detail later, military experts should talk about this in particular. Some of the weapons shown there, it turned out, are not weapons at all. For example, the French “Bastion” armored personnel carrier is an ordinary passenger car for transporting military personnel. It cannot be presented as a weapon. Or the robot dogs that were shown looked like toys, I have a hard time imagining what combat tasks they can solve. What are they useful for and why were they created, or, let’s say, they bought guns, I wonder if they were also able to buy shells or not, because I have information that India cannot sell Indian artillery, shells, because they do not have such a right. This is reminiscent of the story of the same SUs, which could not be used in practice. As surprising as it may seem, the SUs that were purchased before the 44-day war were also displayed at the military parade, but they were not suitable for solving combat problems. It was a pointless display of toys. The interesting thing was that a person who committed a crime during military service reported to someone who did not serve in the army about the military parade.

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By Aram Mkrtchyan

The Imperative of Preserving Artsakh’s Statehood: Reaffirming Hereditary Rights and Historical-Legal Foundations Since May 2025,

the Republic of Artsakh has been functioning de jure without an elected president. The institution of the President serves as the primary legal guarantor of statehood, constitutional order, and the inalienable rights of the people. Today, the issue of restoring and exercising Artsakh’s legal-political subjectivity and hereditary rights has once again returned to the forefront of the political agenda. As a reminder, the office of the President of the Republic of Artsakh has remained vacant since May 2025, following the end of Samvel Shahramanyan’s term in office. Since then, the Chairman of the National Assembly, Ashot Danielyan, has also been performing the duties of the President of the Republic of Artsakh. Currently, the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh aims to initiate a new presidential election process. According to reliable sources, the most likely and viable candidate at this moment is Anastas Israelyan, the founder of the “Reviving Artsakh” movement. He is one of those exceptional figures who returned to the homeland as early as 2020, unconditionally dedicating his entire work and potential to resolving the challenges facing Artsakh’s statehood,

preserving its Armenian identity, and protecting national interests. We view this step by the National Assembly to elect a president as a crucial milestone in preserving the de jure statehood structures of Artsakh, reaffirming its historical heritage, and continuing the subsequent legal struggle in international tribunals. The preservation of Artsakh’s subjectivity today relies not only on the principles of modern international law but also on centuries-old, well-established hereditary rights. The historical, economic, and legal heritage of the Armenians of Artsakh is not a recent phenomenon; it has been recognized and respected for centuries by the major powers of the region:

The Persian and Ottoman Empires: Since the Middle Ages, special decrees (firmans) by Persian Shahs and Ottoman legal acts officially recognized the sovereignty of the Armenian Melikdoms (principalities) of Artsakh and their hereditary rights to their lands. The Russian Empire: Through the 1813 Treaty of Gulistan and subsequent Russian imperial legal acts, Russia likewise reaffirmed the legitimacy and hereditary rights of the Armenian population over their domains in Artsakh. Based on the legal foundations and historical documents of these three empires, an area of 4,161 square kilometers—including all its subsoil, natural resources, and material-cultural values—was recognized as the inalienable heritage of the Armenians of Artsakh. This signifies that the right to these territories belongs exclusively to the Armenian people of Artsakh by historical succession, and no political or military occupation can nullify this de jure right. The public-legal governance system of Artsakh has deep historical roots, and the modern institution of the presidency has evolved along the following steady path: Early 1990s: Dictated by wartime conditions, the country was governed by the Supreme Council and the State Defense Committee (SDC). 1994: The presidential system of governance was introduced as the next logical step toward strengthening independent statehood.

Robert Kocharyan was elected as the first President. Subsequent Years: Through democratic nationwide elections, the institution of the presidency (under Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan) became the cornerstone of Artsakh’s sovereignty and a legitimate body for engaging with the outside world. International facts also bear witness to this legitimacy: OSCE Minsk Group: The co-chairing countries (USA, Russia, and France) consistently took into account the elected authorities of Artsakh across various de facto and legal platforms, viewing Artsakh as a subject of the conflict. Recognition by US States: Around ten states of the United States of America (including California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and others) have adopted official resolutions recognizing the independence of the Republic of Artsakh and its people’s right to self-determination. We call upon the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh to act strictly within the framework of law and to derive all future steps and political actions solely from the historical and inalienable hereditary rights of the Armenian people of Artsakh. This is the only path to preserving the legal foundations of statehood and preventing the final loss of Artsakh’s subjectivity. United Armenian Senate A. Mkrtchyan

Russian President Vladimir Putin also touched upon relations with Armenia during his speech on May 9, Victory Day in the Patriotic War.

Putin suggested holding a rally to find out whether the Armenian people want to join the European Union or stay in the Eurasian Economic Union, and if it turns out that the Armenian people want to join the EU, they will offer a civilized “de-escalation” option.

Political scientist Stepan Danielyan, referring to Putin’s statement, notes that the Russian president hinted that they could leave the region and that it should be the decision of the Armenian people. However, to understand what will follow, one does not need to go far, one simply needs to look at history. “Who will fill the geopolitically empty region? We just need to remember what happened before the Russians came.

Since the 16th century, the current territory of Armenia and Azerbaijan has been a place of competition between the Ottoman Empire and Persia, and the main wars were fought for the Yerevan fortress, which was built for this very purpose. The main victims and material for the deportations in those wars were Armenians. This will happen again, and for the West, Armenians will share the fate of the Kurds, who are used and exploited, exploited and exploited,” Danielyan notes.

Political scientist Hakob Badalyan also believes that Putin’s statements mean one thing: Nikol Pashinyan will pay a very high price to Russia for his re-election, but at the expense of Armenia. “Putin makes these harsh statements publicly for two reasons, firstly, to raise the price when he sees that other power centers have also set a high price and come after it. The second reason is so that the Armenian public can also “witness” this process. The purpose of this is probably so that Nikol Pashinyan does not have a large field for informational and propaganda manipulation later. At the same time, with these statements, the Russian president, on the one hand, raising the price and on the other hand, reducing Pashinyan’s field of maneuver, simultaneously gives him “carte blanche” to play the anti-Russian component of the pre-election campaign, Badalyan emphasizes.

The political scientist warns that with such developments, if Nikol Pashinyan retains his power after the 2026 parliamentary elections, it will turn Armenia into a “gubernia” and not only of Russia, but also of the USA, Europe, Turkey, China, Iran, that is, Armenia will become a country where decisions will be made by a number of strong players, with all the consequences arising from this: intersecting interests, conflicting interests, etc.

“When holding power becomes an end in itself, in a state like Armenia, the fate I mentioned above becomes inevitable for the state. And in order not to turn Armenia into a “gubernia” or a “geopolitical consortium”, Armenia needs at least a change of government, based on which a qualitative change in the situation will also occur. The electoral process is an opportunity to do this, which can be unforgivable to miss. I repeat, there is absolutely no emotional component here. This is the political situation from which they are trying to divert public attention with emotional-declarative rhetoric about sovereignty, “real Armenia”, “peace”, etc.,” emphasized Hakob Badalyan.

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ADDRESS TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE “BRIDGE OF PEACE” INITIATIVE

Aram Mkrtchyan, The United Armenian Senate Coordinator

Peace Through Law: The Hereditary Rights of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians as the Foundation of a Legitimate Treaty. “Modus Vivendi” — A Solid Basis for Regional Stability

Roundtable discussions between representatives of Azerbaijani and Armenian civil societies have commenced in Baku. As part of this initiative, Aram Mkrtchyan, coordinator of the All-Armenian Senate, sent a policy statement to the participants from Germany.

Distinguished Farhad Mamedov, Director of the South Caucasus Research Center ; distinguished Areg Kochinyan, President of the Research Center on Security Policy ; esteemed representatives of civil society and participants of the round table held in Baku from April 10 to 12, 2026.

In October 2022, when Farhad Mamedov and I began our dialogue on “The Role of Civil Society in Overcoming Enmity and Finding Paths for Cooperation,” our goal was to find formulas that would withstand all the trials of Realpolitik and reject the “Genghis Khan system”.

Today, representing an entity that embodies the constructive potential of the Diaspora, I propose a new quality of dialogue. It is based not on “intellectual arrogance,” but on the long-term legitimacy and stability of our region. For the “Bridge of Peace” to become a functional tool for us all, it must be anchored in the following fundamental principles:

1․Azerbaijan acts as the legal successor to the 1918-1920 republic, which presents a genuine legal opportunity to re-recognize the 3,000-year-old inalienable hereditary rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. We do not view this as a concession or “moral capitulation,” for rights are not for sale. We simply state that historical experience and our powerful intellectual potential since the Ottoman era of 1864 confirm: the use of force does not create legal consequences. After all, we all know that a crime does not give rise to a right (Ex injuria jus non oritur). What a century of propaganda attempts to present as “Armenian aggression” is, in reality, a natural aspiration to restore the suspended rights of the Armenian people.

2․While building the bridge of peace, we bring a pragmatic calculation to the table. Petro dollars are depletable, whereas the Diaspora’s “global capital” and intellectual network are enduring and far exceed today’s economic balances. We propose a model where the re-recognition of the Armenian presence and rights in their historical cradle opens the doors of global humanism and religion, ensuring the flow of capital for regional projects. This is the Diaspora’s practical resource that can refragment global and regional confrontation, transforming it into economic and civilizational cooperation.

3․For you, the Diaspora, and the international community to perceive this proposal as a serious opportunity, a true mandate of trust is required. The immediate return of Armenian prisoners of war and captives is not a subject of political bargaining, but proof that Baku is ready to build a future based on law rather than coercion.

We are confident that in the near future, law will overcome the dictates of temporary force. We live in the Diaspora temporarily, but our rights are eternal. I wish us all the courage to build a peace founded on invulnerable legal truth and mutual respect.

With respect and expectation for constructive solutions,

Aram Mkrtchyan

The United Aremian Senate

Coordinator 

On November 7, 2025,

@MorenoOcampo1, former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, issued a Call to Action for Armenians worldwide. He stresses that while U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed a desire to be considered for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, his potential nomination cannot be genuinely recognized unless Aliyev acts. Ocampo is unequivocal: “If Aliyev truly wants to support Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize, he must: 1.Release all Armenian hostages held in Baku; 2.Sign a peace agreement with Armenia and withdraw his troops; 3.Accept international protection for the rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.” The Nobel nomination period closes January 31, 2026, giving Armenians a clear timeframe to act decisively. Ocampo calls on us to turn awareness into action — to make our voices heard, expose obstruction, and demand justice. Here is how every Armenian can engage: 1.Share the campaign widely on social media and with Armenian communities worldwide using #NobelPeacePrize#FreeArmenianHostages#RespectNagornoKarabakhRights 2.Tag U.S. leadership, including

@realDonaldTrump

@SecRubio, to ensure visibility and accountability. 3.Engage Armenian voices eligible to nominate candidates — more than 45 individuals worldwide can influence the Nobel process.

By Harut Sassounian

Just when we had lost all hope that the United States government would ever say or do anything to support Artsakh, we were pleasantly surprised to see a letter by a high-ranking State Department official who stated all the right things in defense of Artsakh.

The letter, dated Sept. 25, 2025, was written by Paul D. Guaglianone, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Legislative Affairs, U.S. State Department. Naturally, we should not confuse words with action, but this is a great start. We need to follow up with our friends in Congress to ensure that the United States government carries out its pledges on Artsakh.

In its letter, the State Department made three important commitments:

1) “The Trump Administration is committed to encouraging both governments [Armenia and Azerbaijan] to provide for the return of ethnic Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh in the context of a sustainable peace.

2) “We are closely monitoring the trials of detained ethnic Armenians in Azerbaijan, and officials at the U.S. Embassy in Baku attend legal proceedings whenever possible.

3) “Finally, we continue to call on the Azerbaijani government to protect Armenian heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

These three sentences cover the core Armenian demands for Artsakh. The U.S. government has never made such pledges before. We hope they will be implemented, and not remain mere words on a piece of paper.

We must realize that the State Dept.’s letter did not materialize out of thin air. It is the result of persistent lobbying by the Armenian-American community. Over the past several months, Armenian-American advocates and supporters sent more than 100,000 emails and phone calls through the Armenian National Committee of America’s (ANCA) national, regional, and local platforms, urging Members of Congress to co-sign the letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Eighty-seven Members of Congress co-signed the letter which was sent to Rubio on July 23, 2025, asking the U.S. government to support the return of forcibly-displaced Armenians to Artsakh, secure the release of illegally-held Armenian prisoners in Baku, and protect Armenian religious and cultural sites in Artsakh.

The congressional letter reminded the Secretary of State of the provisional order of the International Court of Justice in December 2023 compelling Azerbaijan to allow the return of Armenians to Artsakh.

How could it be that the U.S. government cares more about the rights of Artsakh Armenians than Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia? After boldly proclaiming in 2019 that “Artsakh is Armenia, period,” Pashinyan did the exact opposite by acknowledging that Artsakh belongs to Azerbaijan. To make matters worse, Pashinyan told the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe last week: “I consider the topic of the return of [Artsakh] refugees in this context to be dangerous for the peace process.” Instead, he urged Artsakh Armenians to “settle down in the Republic of Armenia.” He then added: “Armenia and Azerbaijan must leave each other alone, focus on economic cooperation, and gradually build a dialogue.”

Pashinyan has not only abandoned Artsakh Armenians’ right of return, but has also ignored the plight of Armenians imprisoned in Baku, fearing that should they be released and return to Yerevan, they could challenge his rule.

The latest indication of Pashinyan’s inaction to secure the release of the Armenian prisoners is his awkward interaction with Pres. Donald Trump at the White House on August 8. When Trump asked him if he would “want those Christians released,” Pashinyan shamefully asked Trump not to include a reference to the Artsakh prisoners in the Memorandum of Understanding to be signed by himself, Pres. Aliyev, and Pres. Trump. Amazingly, Trump then volunteered to help secure the prisoners’ release by telling Pashinyan: “I’ll call Aliyev. He’ll do it as a favor to me.” Trump then added: “if anything goes wrong, just call me directly. I’ll fix it.”

Two months later, Pashinyan has shown no interest in reminding Trump about his promise to call Aliyev. When an Armenian reporter recently asked him if he has Trump’s “whatsApp number,” Pashinyan gave an evasive answer by saying, “I cannot disclose the list of my whatsApp numbers.”

The only sour note in the State Dept.’s otherwise welcome letter of Sept. 25 is its usage of the term “corridor,” a word favored by Azerbaijan, to describe the planned road linking Azerbaijan’s mainland with its exclave of Nakhichevan through Armenia. Trump also wrongly used the term “corridor” twice during the White House meeting. In addition, since August 8, Trump has mistakenly said several times that he has solved the conflict between Albania (instead of Armenia) and Azerbaijan, and has also confused Azerbaijan with Cambodia.

Regrettably, neither the letter signed by 87 Members of Congress nor the reply from the State Dept. mentioned the important fact that Azeri troops have been occupying a portion of the territory of the Republic of Armenia since 2021 with no intention of leaving anytime soon. Pashinyan, despite his constitutional responsibility to protect Armenia’s borders, has ignored the foreign occupation of the Republic’s territory, and when asked what he intends to do to liberate it, his answer has been, “nothing.”

How can a peace treaty be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan while the enemy is occupying Armenia’s territory?

Democracy is not just about elections. Elections can be bought, manipulated, and corrupted. What truly matters is the constitution and the judiciary.

If judges are corrupt, if they simply obey the dictator’s orders, then there is no democracy—no matter how many elections are held. Azerbaijan has elections too—Aliyev “wins” 90% of the vote. How? Because it’s a corrupt system. The same with Erdogan in Turkey.

And now in Armenia, we face the same disease. The Armenian dictator openly says, “I am the government.” That means everyone must obey him, no questions asked. The judiciary is corrupt, judges bend to his will, and prisons are filling up with political prisoners—religious leaders, businessmen, ordinary citizens.

The courts are so overloaded they can’t even keep up. That is how far Armenia’s judiciary has fallen into corruption.

Press release:

LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement officials in California and Florida today arrested 13 alleged members and associates of Armenian organized crime syndicates who are charged in five federal complaints with a series of crimes – including attempted murder, kidnapping, tens of millions of dollars’ worth of thefts of online retailer shipments, and illegal firearm possession – to expand and maintain their control in the San Fernando Valley.

Among the defendants charged are Ara Artuni, 41, of Porter Ranch, who is charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and a rival, Robert Amiryan, 46, of Hollywood, who is charged with kidnapping.

The defendants arrested today in California are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Vahan Harutyunyan, 49, of Hollywood, Florida, made his initial appearance earlier today in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and was ordered detained. Two of the remaining defendants, Levon Arakelyan, 45, of Las Vegas, and Ivan Bojorquez, 33, of Gardena, are presently detained in state custody on unrelated matters.

Law enforcement is still seeking one defendant and seized approximately $100,000 in cash, three armored vehicles, and 14 firearms during today’s operation.

According to affidavits filed with the criminal complaints, Armenian Organized Crime, a Russian mafia-affiliated transnational criminal organization, has made Los Angeles County a center of U.S. operations. Since 2022, two local leaders within the organization, also known as avtoritet, which in Russian means “authority,” allegedly have engaged in a power struggle for control in their territory, resulting in multiple murder attempts and a kidnapping.

Artuni, an avtoritet, is charged with ordering the attempted murder of Amiryan during the summer of 2023. In retaliation, Amiryan, also an avtoritet, allegedly conspired with members of his own criminal organization to kidnap and torture one of Artuni’s associates in June 2023.

In addition to attempted murder, Artuni and his criminal enterprise has, since at least 2021, allegedly committed additional crimes, including bank fraud, wire fraud, and “cargo theft” targeting online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc. Artuni Enterprise members and associates enrolled with Amazon as carriers, contracted for trucking routes, and then, while transporting the goods, diverged from the route and stole all or part of the shipment. To date, the Artuni Enterprise has allegedly stolen goods from Amazon worth more than $83 million, according to estimates provided by Amazon. 

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/13-members-and-associates-rival-armenian-syndicates-arrested-federal-complaints