Abkhazia
Russian court sentences Abkhazian to over 5 years for posts praising Shamil Basaev
The case is linked to Telegram posts about a dispute over a museum exhibition in Sukhumi (Sukhum).
News Stories
Yesterday, 18 March 2026
Yesterday, 18 March 2026
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani man detained on charges of blackmailing Aliyev family
Azerbaijan’s State Security Service claimed that he used footage sent to him by exiled bloggers.
Georgia
Over 70 arrested in Georgian police operation against mafia in Adjara
Among those detained were alleged high-ranking members of the post-Soviet mafia network known as ‘thieves-in-law’.
Armenia
Editor-in-chief of Armenian opposition-aligned tabloid investigated over 2024 editorial
The editorial by Armine Ohanyan was published in Hraparak in December 2024.
Ingushetia
Two Ingush men sentenced to 17 years in prison for brutal murder of Saint Petersburg woman
Murat Ganizhev and Abdul-Malik Buzurtanov inflicted more than 580 stab wounds on the victim.
Ilia II
Obituary | Patriarch Ilia II — the one constant in Georgia’s modern history
Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, has died, leaving behind a troubled legacy after 48 years of leading the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Ukrainian–Russian man detained for ‘preparing terrorist attack’ in Adygea
The man was allegedly recruited by Ukraine’s Security Service.
Daily Brief
Wednesday, 18 March 2026
Armenia * Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi during his official visit to Oman. According to the Armenian readout, they discussed ‘prospects for expanding cooperation in a number of areas of mutual interest’. They also signed a memorandum of understanding on holding political consultations between Foreign Ministries of the two countries. * Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired a Security Council meeting yesterd
Georgia
‘A part of our citizenship is being taken away’: Georgian emigrants on the overseas voting ban
Georgian Dream’s ban on overseas voting has sparked outrage, with members of the diaspora viewing it as an undemocratic attack on a fundamental right.
Tuesday, 17 March 2026
The Georgian Orthodox Church
Patriarch of Georgian Orthodox Church Ilia II dies at 93
Ilia II passed away on Tuesday evening after being admitted into intensive care with abdominal bleeding earlier that day.
Azerbaijan
Shiite Muslims arrested in Azerbaijan as authorities reportedly crack down on hijabs in schools
Samir Babayev, a member of the Muslim Unity Movement, told his family that he was tortured by police after being arrested on drug charges.
Georgia
Georgian opposition to contact French authorities to investigate Ivanishvili
The Opposition Alliance vowed to focus on implementing the key recommendations outlined in the recent OSCE report on Georgia.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani journalist Ahmad Mammadli sentenced to six years in prison
Police witnesses in the Ahmad Mammadli case testified at court hearings that they did not see him stabbing anyone.
Georgia
Georgian Patriarch Ilia II hospitalised
The hospital head described Ilia II’s condition as ‘serious’.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan extends COVID land-border closure until summer 2026
The land border has been closed since 2020.
2026 Armenian parliamentary elections
Ex-President Kocharyan announces bid for prime minister
Robert Kocharyan led the Armenia Alliance in the 2021 snap elections, which formed the largest opposition faction in the parliament.
Georgia
‘There’s practically nothing left’ — the havoc wreaked by a landslide in western Georgia
The landslide destroyed a third of the village of Kursebi, leaving 45 families in temporary housing.
Daghestan
Daghestan ranks 5th in number of neglected children in Russia
The total number of minors identified without parental supervision has increased for the first time in five years, according to official statistics.
Armenian Apostolic Church
Karekin II dismisses pro-Pashinyan cleric ‘after 10 years of requests’
The confrontation between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the Church has been ongoing since May 2025.
North Caucasus
Opinion | Repression and the myth of instability fuels Russia’s colonial rule in the North Caucasus
While Russia is a federation on paper, in reality, the state is perpetuating its colonisation of the North Caucasus.
Circassians
Circassian activist from Adygea sentenced to 11 years on terrorism charges
The Council of United Circassia is considered to be a terrorist organisation by Russia.
Daily Brief
Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Regional * Earlier in March, former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan ‘attempted to deliver a public address’ to Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Defender Sabina Aliyeva during a phone call with his family, but the call was ‘forcibly’ cut off, relatives say. They add he had spent 10 days unsuccessfully trying to contact her. Vardanyan is serving a 20-year sentence in Azerbaijan on war crimes charges, which he denies. Armenia * The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas has reaffirmed that th
Reviews
Review | A Dog in Georgia — a journey that never finds its way
While promising a story of self-discovery amidst Georgia’s political turmoil, this novel instead makes Georgia feel more like a convenient backdrop.
Monday, 16 March 2026
Azerbaijan
Drones fly over Baku, with authorities claiming they were Azerbaijani
The Defence Ministry did not issue any advance notice ahead of the alleged exercise.
Georgia
International anti-doping agency finds numerous violations in Georgian rugby team
A representative of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said the organisation had ‘lost confidence’ in the Georgian anti-doping agency.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan arrests another opposition Popular Front Party member
This is already the second case of administrative arrest of Jeyhun Novruzov.
Levon Ter-Petrosyan
Ex-president Ter-Petrosyan accuses government of cutting his power and water for political reasons
The ENA, the country’s main power grid operator, later stated that the outage was caused by major damage to a nearby transformer substation.
Georgia
GYLA ‘temporarily suspends’ free legal aid, citing Georgian Dream laws
The organisation cited restrictive laws adopted by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan sentences French national to 10 years in prison on spying charges
Azerbaijan national Azad Mammadli was also convicted in the case and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Chechnya
Google Translate logs expose Russian plot against relatives of Chechen opposition leader Zakaev
US prosecutors say a Russian operative plotted to kidnap and kill dissidents abroad, with reports linking the targets to Akhmed Zakaev’s family.
