Georgia
Georgian court sentences two anti-government protesters to year in jail
Mindia Shervashidze and Tornike Toshkhua were charged with group violence.
News Stories
Today, 01 April 2026
Today, 01 April 2026
The Georgian Orthodox Church
Russia claims the Constantinople Patriarch seeks to ‘subjugate’ Georgian Church
The Georgian Church stated that it considers such interference impossible.
Armenia
Armenian court bans screening of documentary about Declaration of Independence
The documentary was produced in 2020 to mark the 30th anniversary of Armenia’s Declaration of Independence.
Chechnya
Man beaten by Adam Kadyrov for burning the Quran located after ‘disappearing’ during prison transfer
Human rights defenders had expressed concern about his fate, as his whereabouts had been unknown for more than three months.
Chechnya
Adam Kadyrov reportedly no longer being considered to be Ramzan Kadyrov’s successor
Journalists claim he fell out of favour after a road accident earlier in 2026.
Daily Brief
Wednesday, 1 April 2026
Regional * Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan expressed hope that established peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan ‘will also put an end to fabricated claims and eliminate hate speech’. The statement came in reponse to an Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry statement regarding what they call ‘the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis’, referring to the massacres of Azerbaijanis by Armenians during a period of internecine violence in 1918. Armenia * Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will
Yesterday, 31 March 2026
Armenia–Azerbaijan Conflict
Pashinyan’s calls for end to ‘mirrored’ genocide accusations appear to go unheard in Azerbaijan
Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan suggested moving away from genocide narratives for the sake of peace.
Chechnya
Iran claims Chechnya will send troops if the US starts ground invasion
Akhmat Commander Apti Alaudimov previously commented on the possible participation of volunteers in the conflict.
Georgia
Georgia detains 13, including minors, for violence and links to neo-Nazism
Many others, described as followers of Nazi and fascist ideologies, have been detained and charged for violence in recent months.
Georgia
Kobakhidze speaks to Marco Rubio, marking highest-level Georgia–US talks in years
The call comes as US President Donald Trump signed an extension on the Biden-era sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Daghestan
Three police officers injured in shooting in Daghestan
They were shot at after attempting to break up a fight.
Economy
Opinion | ‘A list of rich people in a poor country’ — what Forbes’ top 100 list reveals about Georgia
Georgia’s Forbes Top 100 shows an uneven playing field, offshore wealth, hidden names, and women playing safety rings for rich families.
Economy
Georgia’s GDP hits 8.8% in February as Moody’s projects increased growth in 2026
Moody’s had predicted economic growth of 6% in 2026.
2026 Armenian parliamentary elections
Five arrested in Armenia over alleged vote-buying scheme linked to Karapetyan’s party
Russian–Armenian tycoon Samvel Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia party denied the accusations.
Georgia
Jailed Georgian opposition politician Elisashvili faces new terrorism charge
The politician has been imprisoned since November on terrorism-related charges.
Chechnya
Putin awards Ramzan Kadyrov’s son Akhmat for achievements in ‘physical culture and sport’
Akhmat Kadyrov, the 20-year-old Deputy Prime Minister of Chechnya, has received recognition ‘for many years of work in the field of sport’
Daily Brief
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Armenia * Five people have been arrested in Armenia in connection with alleged election-related bribery linked to Russian–Armenian tycoon Samvel Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia party. According to the Anti-Corruption Committee, the bribes were ‘formulated as a salary, thereby trying to conceal the fact of providing electoral bribes’. The party denied the accusations, describing the secretly recorded phone calls as fiction. * Yesterday, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had a phone conversation wit
Azerbaijan
What’s behind the mass bird deaths along Azerbaijan’s Caspian shore?
Multiple cases of mass bird deaths have been recorded along Azerbaijan’s Caspian Sea coast, raising concerns of disease or toxic pollution.
Monday, 30 March 2026
North Caucasus
As Russia further restricts the internet, what does the future hold for the North Caucasus?
The North Caucasus has been facing various internet blockades for several years. Can things really get any worse?
Georgia-UK Relations
Georgian Dream claims UK ruled by ‘deep state’ after calls for sanctions in House of Commons
The calls came in a report by the British Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.
Georgia
Foreign artist defaces painting by Georgian artist at Tbilisi’s Stamba Hotel
According to artist Lia Shvelidze, whose work was damaged, an investigation has been opened.
Armenia
American University of Armenia switches to online learning ‘amid threats from Iran’
Iran has threatened to target Israeli and US universities in response to attacks on Iranian universities.
Daghestan
North Caucasus and Azerbaijan hit by largest-scale flooding in a century
A state of emergency has been declared in two Russian regions.
Economy
Georgian electricity tariffs to rise up to 33% in April
Prices for residential consumers will rise by 5 tetri per kWh.
Armenia
Three arrested for trying to punch Pashinyan in church
Pashinyan was attending a Palm Sunday sermon at a church in Yerevan.
Georgia
French photographer’s Georgian residence permit revoked, reportedly for ‘political’ reasons
Francis Nicolas Primerski’s permit was first extended, later revoked.
Daily Brief
Monday, 30 March 2026
Regional * In Chechnya and Daghestan, a state of emergency has been introduced due to heavy rainfall, downpours in the mountains, and precipitation in the form of rain and wet snow. Local public channels report rockfalls on a federal highway, destruction of homes, damage to bridges, power outages, and restrictions on traffic. Thousands of people have been evacuated due to the flooding of residential buildings. Neighbouring republics have also been affected. A ‘high alert regime’ due to precipi
Reviews
Review | A Room of My Own — queerness and constraint in Georgia
A Room of My Own is an intimate but unfinished portrait of female friendship, desire, and self-discovery in contemporary Tbilisi.
Friday, 27 March 2026
North Caucasus
North Caucasus ranks lowest in war losses in Russia
The only region where losses exceed the national average is North Ossetia.
Georgia
Georgian company to buy sanctioned coal from Russian-occupied Ukraine
Valerian Kochiashvili, the controversial owner of George Oil Ltd., said there were plans for the coal’s domestic usage in Georgia and for export.
