Domestic Politics

The Georgian government appears to be increasingly scraping the bottom of the barrel, as it becomes increasingly authoritarian in a desperate attempt to hold on to power, amidst street protests and increasing popular discontent. In the last days a number of prominent political leaders have been arrested on various charges, triggering widespread international condemnation.  They join about 500 others arrested during the  recent street protests. Human rights groups say that 300 of them were subjected to torture.

Bagrat Galstanyan, the hardline cleric who led street protests against the start of border demarcation between Armenia and Azerbaijan and called for the resignation or impeachment of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, has been placed in pre-trial detention for two months. More than a dozen others have also been detained, with that number expected to rise. They are accused of plotting a coup ahead of next year's parliamentary elections, following the publication by pro-Pashinyan media of an alleged seven-page document detailing the plan.

On Thursday (27 June), the Masam Project, led by Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief, cleared more than 4,600 explosive devices in Yemen’s Abyan governorate. The recent operation in the Wadi Dufs area near Zinjibar targeted explosive ordnance dating back to years of conflict to the east of Aden.

Armenian authorities on Wednesday arrested a prominent Christian cleric, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, along with 13 other people and charged them with orchestrating a plot to overthrow the government. In a statement reported by Reuters, Armenia's Investigative Committee said it had filed criminal charges against Galstanyan and 15 others whom they said had "acquired the means and tools necessary to commit a terrorist attack and seize power". A total of 14 individuals have been arrested, investigators said.

On Wednesday (25 June), the Iranian parliament approved a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, the UN's nuclear watchdog. This was reported by the Iran International news network. However, the proposal must also be approved by the Iranian National Security Council and Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, before it can take effect.

Armenia finds itself in deepening discord between its political and religious elites. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s unprecedented public attacks on Catholicos Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, mark further escalation in a personal feud waged since the 2018 Velvet Revolution. It has worsened each year since and not least since Karekin II approved the participation of his own clergy to join protests against Pashinyan in 2022 and for one to lead them in 2024.

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has severely criticised how funding from the European Union is being implemented in Georgia saying that ministers from European Union Member States and EU Commissioners are making unjustified critical statements about Georgia while hatred, violence, and propaganda are being encouraged in the country with EU funding. According to the Georgian Public Broadcaster, Papuashvili said he was troubled by the narrative heard from various ministers from EU Member States before the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 23rd June claiming that “disinformation is being spread about some alleged democratic backsliding or walking the wrong path”.