Armenia
Armenian authorities liken Pashinyan-led church reform agenda to 2018 Velvet Revolution
There are claims that the Church reforms pursue similar goals as the 2018 revolution, but this time in the spiritual sphere.
Velvet Revolution
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Velvet Revolution
Opinion | The Velvet illusion: why Armenia’s so-called revolution wasn’t
While the Velvet Revolution was indeed a strong example of people’s resistance, it failed to confront the deeper architecture of Armenian politics.
Armenia
Power of the people: what made Armenia’s Velvet Revolution successful?
In 2018, Armenians peacefully ousted their government in a fast-moving decentralised revolution. Six years on, and amidst regional upheaval, participants of the Velvet Revolution assess the key factors in the movement’s success. In the run-up to the spring of 2018, a change of government in Armenia seemed unlikely at best. Opposition to Serzh Sargsyan’s government had been steadily growing, intensifying in light of the announcement on 12 April that he would run for prime minister, having s
Armenia
Ex-president Serzh Sargsyan acquitted in embezzlement case
Armenia’s third president, Serzh Sargsyan, has been acquitted of embezzling more than ֏489 million ($1.3 million) from the state in 2013. Sargsyan, who was forced to step down following the 2018 revolution, was charged in late 2019 and put on trial in early 2020. He denied the charges while his party, the Republican Party, decried them as politically motivated. Even if found guilty, Sargsyan would not have faced imprisonment because of an expiring statute of limitations. ‘It’s not like
Armenia
Roses and Velvet: a contested legacy of revolution
This year marks 20 years since Georgia’s Rose Revolution, and five since the Velvet Revolution in Armenia. Both were born of a desire to end corruption and build a democratic future; their successes and failures, though, have remained a matter for debate. ‘Come out all of you who think that the building and development of the modern Georgian state started this day’. This was the call of the organisers of gatherings in Tbilisi and Batumi last November to commemorate the anniversary of the 2003
Analysis
Datablog | What do the ‘tragic consequences’ of colour revolutions actually look like?
While Russia regularly warns against the supposed negative consequences of ‘colour revolutions’, data from the Varieties of Democracy project suggests that anti-regime protests leading to changes of government in former Soviet countries have led to lower corruption, cleaner elections, and more vibrant civil society. Fearing unrest in their region, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government often refer to the threat of ‘colour revolutions’ dislodging the existing government i
Armenia
Armenian parliament votes to remove three judges from Constitutional Court
Armenia’s parliament has passed a bill that will remove three judges from the Constitutional Court. The amendments will also remove Hrayr Tovmasyan, widely regarded as being close to the previous government, from his position as Chair. The bill, co-authored by several MPs from the ruling My Step faction, was put on the floor of the parliament in an extraordinary session on 22 June and was passed after two hearings. According to the bill, Hrayr Tovmasyan will be removed as Chair of the Consti
