Armine Avetisyan

43 Posts

0 Followers

Armine Avetisyan is a print and broadcast journalist from Armenia who has covered social and political issues in the country since 2007. She holds a Master’s Degree from the Georgian Institute of P

Illustration by Armine Avetisyan/OC Media.

Armenia

‘I dreamt of a carefree life — I was deceived’: the Armenians immigrating illegally to America

by Armine Avetisyan

•6 min read

For some in Armenia, the dream of a better life for them and their families leads them to illegally immigrate to America. But a bid for a life in the West does not come cheap, with many having to sell everything they own and brave imprisonment, injury, or even death. Karen (not his real name), 31, had long dreamt of moving to America. It started when he was still in seventh grade when a close friend and classmate immigrated with his family to the US. ‘We used to talk on the internet all th

Armenia

‘Every day I fear the war will return’ — the displaced Armenians returning to the border regions

by Armine Avetisyan

•3 min read

Around 7,600 Armenians were displaced in the wake of the September clashes on the border with Azerbaijan. While most have returned to their homes, people fear further escalations as tensions continue to flare on the border and in Nagorno-Karabakh. Almost four dozen settlements spread across three Armenian provinces were targeted by Azerbaijani shelling in the clashes of 13–14 September. Official estimates suggest that 192 residential buildings, three hotels, two schools, and one medical centre

Armenia

Imprisoned in their own homes: the Armenian women escaping psychological abuse

by Armine Avetisyan

•7 min read

Locked in their own homes and under constant surveillance, for some women in Armenia, marriage can turn out to be a nightmare. But isolated from their friends and family, escaping their abuser is not always an easy task. Ani was just 18 years old when she got married. ‘I imagined family life very beautifully: romantic evenings with a glass of wine, going on trips’, Ani says. At first, her dreams seemed to have come true. She had moved from her small village in Ararat Province to a larger tow

Armenia

Russians change Gyumri’s rhythm

by Armine Avetisyan

•4 min read

The war in Ukraine drove tens of thousands of Russian citizens to relocate to Armenia. While most have settled in Yerevan, high rents in the capital have pushed some to seek out other options. Since the start of the war, Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport has been as busy as ever; incoming flights, however, don’t only bring in tourists who want to relax in the picturesque mountains of Armenia, but also thousands of Russians who intend to settle in the country. According to official nu

Maral Najaryan. Photo: Armine Avetisyan/OC Media.

Armenia

Voice | ‘I dreamt of freedom’

by Armine Avetisyan

•4 min read

Maral Najaryan, a 50-year-old Lebanese-Armenian, moved to Armenia after the Beirut port blast in search of a safer and more peaceful life. The end of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War proved to be a turning point for her — she and her fiance Vigen Yevljejyan were captured by Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. Though Maral regained her freedom, Vigen has yet to be released. ‘I had a beauty salon in Beirut. I was a manicurist and hairdresser. I worked with my daughter. Everything became com

Artyom Arakelyan. Photo: Armine Avetisyan/OC Media.

Armenia

Voice | Life with hands of metal

by Armine Avetisyan

•4 min read

Thirty-year-old linguist and translator Artyom Arakelyan lost his hands in an accident when he was twelve. Though the disability has caused him psychological pain, it has not prevented him from becoming a translator, football coach, and amateur pianist. ‘I live in Yerevan with my mother, my sister, and my brother. I work for the Football Federation of the Republic of Armenia as the coordinator of football popularisation. Along with my work, I also work out, play football, ride a bike, and swim

OC Insider