Yousef Bardouka

12 Posts

0 Followers

A Circassian from the diaspora, Yousef joined OC Media out of a passion for the Caucasus and a fascination with functional public transport. With previous journalism experience in Jordan, he divides his time between keeping up with regional news, podcast production, and exploration of specialty coffee.

Estonia

Baltic states impose travel restrictions on Ivanishvili and other Georgian officials

by Yousef Bardouka

•2 min read

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have imposed travel restrictions on Georgian officials — including Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili and Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri — for cracking down on protesters. All three Baltic states imposed the travel restrictions on Monday, having earlier announced their intent to enact sanctions the day prior. Both Lithuania and Estonia sanctioned 11 officials including Georgian Dream founder and honorary chair Bidzina Ivanishvili and Interior Mini

2024 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Twenty-one-year-old Georgian arrested for ‘assaulting’ police during election protests

by Yousef Bardouka

•1 min read

Georgia’s Interior Ministry has announced the arrest of a 21-year-old protester on charges of assaulting the police during a protest in Tbilisi against electoral fraud during October’s parliamentary vote. The Interior Ministry announced the arrest on Thursday, accusing the man of physically assaulting police officers on Melikishvili Street. Protesters against electoral fraud this week erected tents and makeshift barricades at a central intersection connecting Melikishvili to Chavchavadze Ave

the BRICS 2023 summit. Image via New York Times.

Armenia

Podcast | Brics and the South Caucasus

by Yousef Bardouka

•2 min read

BRICS, an intergovernmental organisation named after its core members, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, appears to be making inroads in the South Caucasus, with Azerbaijan applying for its membership, and Armenia accepting an invitation to participate in a BRICS summit in Russia, despite its deteriorating relations with Moscow. This week, we speak to Azerbaijani independent researcher Shujaat Ahmadzada about Azerbaijan’s prospects for joining the organisatio

Bahruz Samadov. Illustration: Tamar Shvelidze/OC Media

Armenia

When advocating for peace becomes treason — the arrest of Bahruz Samadov

by Yousef Bardouka

•6 min read

Azerbaijan’s arrest of researcher and writer Bahruz Samadov has led to widespread outcry, and speculation about the implications for the prospect of peace or further war with Armenia. On the evening of 21 August, Azerbaijani social media filled with posts calling for any information on Bahruz Samadov’s whereabouts. Samadov was visiting Azerbaijan while on holiday from his studies, and had gone missing that afternoon, shortly before he was expected to meet a friend. After two days of silenc

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan applies for BRICS membership

by Yousef Bardouka

•1 min read

Azerbaijan has applied to join BRICS, an intergovernmental organisation led by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Baku. Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizade told Report on Tuesday that Azerbaijan had filed an application to join the organisation. While Hajizade did not provide any further details about Azerbaijan’s application to join BRICS, on Wednesday, Russian state news agency TASS quoted Vladimir Dzh

Azerbaijan

Israel orders off-duty troops to leave Georgia and Azerbaijan amidst Iran tensions

by Yousef Bardouka

•2 min read

The Israeli Defence Forces have reportedly ordered off-duty personnel to leave Georgia and Azerbaijan, amidst fears of an attack on Israeli targets by Iran. Israeli state-owned TV station Kan 11 reported that the order came on Monday, amid concerns that Iran might strike at Israeli targets either within Israel or in countries near Iran. The Times of Israel reported that Israeli servicemembers ‘could presumably be in either country on vacation or to visit family’. The Israeli Embassy in Geo

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