Azerbaijani justice confirmed on Thursday, July 30, 2026 the appellate conviction of Martin Ryan, a French national who had been arrested in December 2023. He was accused of having been recruited by members of the French DGSE (Directorate-General for External Security) working at the French embassy in Baku, who were subsequently expelled from the country.
# Translation
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated at a briefing held on July 30 that Armenia will not conduct a referendum on EU membership in the foreseeable future. Three days earlier, Vladimir Putin during a telephone conversation with Pashinyan demanded that such a referendum be held "as soon as possible." In May, the leaders of EAEU member states issued a joint statement with a similar demand, insisting that Yerevan choose between joining the EU and maintaining EAEU membership. At the briefing, broadcast by the Armenpress news agency, Pashinyan made the following statement: "I do not accept an approach according to which relations are either exclusive or should not exist at all.
KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan akan mempercepat pelaksanaan baki 25 peratus syor Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja (RCI) berhubung Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) yang masih belum dilaksanakan dengan mengambil kira aspek kebijaksanaan, realiti semasa serta pertimbangan berkaitan.
President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon arrived in Kyrgyzstan to participate in the informal Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the President of Azerbaijan.
KUALA LUMPUR: Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) sudah melaksanakan 75 peratus daripada syor Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja (RCI) bagi meningkatkan tadbir urus serta kesejahteraan institusi berkenaan dengan baki syor kini berada dalam proses pelaksanaan.
CriminalOC Media (South Caucasus)· Jul 29, 2026, 2:28 PM3MODERATE
Azerbaijan’s sentencing of journalists from independent media outlet Toplum TV to lengthy prison terms has drawn international criticism, with several international organisations calling on Baku to immediately release them.
Iranian state media reported on Wednesday that a suspected US airstrike targeted an area near the western Iranian city of Piranshahr, close to the Iraqi border, with no casualties or damage immediately reported. According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, the strike hit a location in West Azerbaijan province and was “reportedly carried out by the […] The post US airstrike reported near Iran-Iraq border; no casualties reported first appeared on Ariana News | Afghanistan News .
In the latest example of pressure policies targeting independent journalism under the Ilham Aliyev administration in Azerbaijan, journalists, media workers, and civil society representatives connected to Toplum TV were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 to 15 years. International press and freedom of expression organizations stated that the decision was political and called for the release of the detainees.
Armenia * Turkey has begun the restoration of the Gyumri–Kars railway, a key part of restoring connections between Armenia and Turkey. The two countries are still working on officially normalising relations, a precondition that precedes opening the Armenian–Turkish border and the ultimate goal of fully connecting the railway. Azerbaijan * The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have demanded ‘the immediate release’ of the sentenced
Tashkent is preparing to host the "Spain–S5+Azerbaijan" international forum this year, focusing on agricultural investment, innovation, and business partnerships.
Executive Summary: Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections were not only a vote for Armenia’s future geopolitical trajectory between the West and Russia. They were also a vote for the future path of the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process (see EDM, June 5, 17, 22). The development of transit corridors through the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan […] The post TRIPP Plays Role in Reordering of Eurasian Trade Routes appeared first on Jamestown .
An Azerbaijan court has convicted nine journalists and founders of a top independent news outlet on financial crime charges and sentenced them to prison.
A court in Baku has sentenced nine journalists in the Toplum TV case. According to the media outlet's website, they were given the following sentences: Toplum TV co-founders Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzetli — 15 years imprisonment each; Toplum TV co-founder Alesker Mamedli and journalist Ali Zeynalov — 14 years each; editor Mushfig Jabbarov, project coordinators Ilkin Amrakhov and Ramil Babaev — 13 years each; journalist Farid Ismailov and social media manager Elmir Abbasov — 12 years imprisonment each. Additionally, the court granted the prosecutor's claim and ordered the confiscation of homes and cars from the convicted individuals.
Nine journalists, media workers, and activists associated with Toplum TV, which conducts independent broadcasting in Azerbaijan, have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 to 15 years. While this may appear at first glance to be a criminal case, this decision shows that the authoritarian political order, which has been built step by step over many years, has entered a new phase. I am not writing these lines merely as an outside observer.
Colombia’s president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, announced on Sunday, July 26, that his administration, which will take office on August 7, will close at least 14 embassies, including the one in Romania, as part of a reorganization of the country’s diplomatic network. Earlier this year, during the mandate of the current president of the South American country, Gustavo Petro, Colombia had reopened its embassy in Romania after 24 years of direct diplomatic absence between the two states. The new president presented another course regarding the embassies.
Nine journalists, media workers and activists linked to Toplum TV, which conducts independent broadcasting in Azerbaijan, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 to 15 years. Nine journalists in Azerbaijan sentenced to 15 years in prison Mediascope
Kazakhstan resumed crude oil exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) after the consortium restarted accepting oil from shippers and resumed loading operations at its marine terminal in Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, the Kazakh Energy Ministry announced on July 27, according to Astana Times . Kazakhstan delivers just over 50% of the crude oil refined in Romania, with under 30% coming from local resources and the rest of some 20% coming from Azerbaijan and Iraq. The resumption of oil intake enables producing companies to restore deliveries into the CPC pipeline system and restart export operations through the marine terminal.
BAKU, July 27 - Two co-founders of an independent Azerbaijani online TV station, three of its journalists and four activists were each sentenced to jail terms of up to 15 years on Monday over financial crimes, in a case that has raised Western concerns over press freedom.
The Kanwar Yatra, a major Hindu pilgrimage where devotees collect holy water from the Ganga in Haridwar, is scheduled to take place from July 30 to August 11, drawing lakhs of participants.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Pemerintah memberikan insentif bea masuk 0 persen untuk impor suku cadang pesawat serta liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) yang menjadi bahan baku industri petrokimia. Insentif tersebut merupakan bagian...
ISTANBUL: Mesir semalam menggesa Amerika Syarikat (AS) mempercepatkan penempatan Pasukan Penstabilan Antarabangsa (ISF) di Semenanjung Gaza, memastikan bantuan kemanusiaan disalurkan sepenuhnya, dan menyelesaikan baki komitmen bawah fasa pertama pelan untuk wilayah itu oleh Presiden Donald Trump, lapor Anadolu Ajansi.
A compensation payout process involving Russia and Azerbaijan is described as convoluted and lacking transparency, pointing to ongoing diplomatic or financial friction.
PoliticalOC Media (South Caucasus)· Jul 24, 2026, 9:21 AM4MODERATE
A journalist, Afgan Sadigov, has had his pre-trial detention extended in Azerbaijan, while in Armenia, an opposition leader and MP candidate, Karapetyan, has been placed under a travel ban and investigation for alleged coercion and money laundering.
Ruben Vardanyan, a former state minister of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in Azerbaijan. He has not appealed the sentence, stating that legal remedies within Azerbaijan are ineffective.
MilitaryMiddle East Eye· Jul 22, 2026, 12:31 AM8CRITICAL
The United States has struck multiple Iranian military targets across the country, including a facility near Tabriz in East Azerbaijan and locations in the ports of Bushehr, Chabahar, and Konarak, according to Iranian state media. The coordinated attacks mark a serious escalation in direct military action between the two countries.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has indirectly acknowledged that German and Russian officials held a confidential meeting in Baku to discuss potential paths to ending the war in Ukraine.
Preşedintele azer Ilham Aliev susţine că foşti oficiali de rang înalt germani şi ruşi s-au întâlnit în capitala ţării sale, Baku, în această lună, pentru discuţii despre modalităţile de a pune capăt războiului Rusiei împotriva Ucrainei, relatează Bloomberg, preluată de Ukrainska Pravda.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he was not informed of a recent meeting but indicated he would support any initiative aimed at ending the Ukraine war.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev says former senior German officials and Russian representatives secretly met in Baku on 12-14 July to discuss possible ways of ending Russia's war against Ukraine.
Judicial representatives from across the region gathered in Dushanbe to explore how gender equality and innovation can strengthen more inclusive justice systems. “Women in the Justice System: Dialogue, Development and Justice” — Dushanbe hosted an international conference that gathered judicial representatives from Tajikistan and neighbouring countries, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and […]
Germany's chancellor held talks with Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev focused on energy cooperation. Separately, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is preparing to present findings on sexual offenses against children in Germany.
An Azerbaijani presidential aide reportedly asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw a measure, indicating diplomatic outreach between the two countries on an unspecified policy matter.
PoliticalOC Media (South Caucasus)· Jul 20, 2026, 8:47 AM4MODERATE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pressured Parliament to withdraw a bill recognizing the Armenian Genocide after intervention by Azerbaijan, reversing government approval from June, according to Haaretz. The move reflects geopolitical calculations in the Middle East and South Caucasus region.
PoliticalOONI Explorer — Censorship Measurements· Jul 19, 2026, 12:00 AM3MODERATE
OONI network measurement detected 5 confirmed censorship events in Azerbaijan over the past 7 days, indicating state-directed internet interference affecting 0.2% of tested web connections.
PoliticalOONI Explorer — Censorship Measurements· Jul 18, 2026, 12:00 AM3MODERATE
Network measurements detected five confirmed instances of censorship in Azerbaijan over the past week, involving state-directed interference with DNS, HTTP, or TCP protocols.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov to discuss expanding trade, investment and strategic economic cooperation between the two countries.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Russia and Azerbaijan have resolved all outstanding issues related to the downing of an Azerbaijani passenger aircraft late in 2024, bringing an end to the diplomatic dispute between the two nations.
Russia remains one of Azerbaijan’s leading economic partners, and there is significant potential to increase our trade turnover and the flow of direct investments, the foreign minister emphasized
An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 plane en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to Russia’s Grozny in Chechnya crash-landed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25, 2024
Azerbaijan appears positioned to potentially withdraw from the Council of Europe amid disputes over governance and international scrutiny. The move would represent a significant realignment of the country's relationship with European institutions.
The European Union and Ukraine have signed a comprehensive defense partnership focused on unmanned drone systems and counter-drone technology, with the European Commission immediately transferring €1 billion for drone procurement. The agreement formalizes cooperation on drone production, components, supply chains, and sensor systems, positioning Ukraine as a security provider for Europe while leveraging EU industrial capacity.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini visited Azerbaijan as part of broader efforts to deepen bilateral relations and strategic partnerships between the two countries.
Rae Town Division Councillor Rosalie Hamilton is now being represented by attorney Charles Ganga-Singh in the defamation lawsuit brought against her by Kingston Central Member of Parliament, Donovan Williams. The matter came up for mention in the Supreme Court on Monday, with Ganga-Singh appearing on behalf of Hamilton. The case was subsequently adjourned until October 14, 2026, to allow the attorney sufficient time to familiarise himself with the proceedings.
EVERYTHING appeared normal until the crew of K2 Airways Flight 1732 , a Boeing 737-400 registered as AP-BOI, reported a navigation systems failure at 9:18pm (0418 UTC) on July 7. While operating a ferry flight from Sharjah to Karachi, the crew requested heading guidance from air traffic control. The aircraft had undergone maintenance in Sharjah prior to departure, indicating that maintenance work had been carried out before the ill-fated flight.
A man charged in absentia with the murder of his relative, an Azerbaijani woman, in Tbilisi, in what women’s rights advocates have described as a possible “honor crime”, has been detained in Batumi International Airport, the Georgian Interior Ministry announced on July 11, following reports about his arrest in Turkey. While the ministry did not …
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Kemunculan JF-17C Thunder Block III dalam latihan Angkatan Udara Azerbaijan bukan sekadar pertunjukan pesawat tempur baru. Kehadirannya menandai perubahan penting dalam keseimbangan kekuatan udara di Kaukasus...
[Reporter Yang Xin-hui/Taipei Report] The Investigation Bureau's Anti-Money Laundering Division assisted the Taipei District Prosecutors Office in investigating the Taizi Group case, seizing large amounts of illegal proceeds and prosecuting multiple individuals. This year, the case participated in the Egmont Group's "2026 Egmont Best Practices Award" competition. At the annual meeting held in Azerbaijan, it was voted on by representatives from 130 financial intelligence centers attending the meeting and representatives from 15 international organizations including FATF and World Bank.
The fourth Interregional Forum between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan will take place in Tashkent on 17 July 2026 to expand trade, investment, and business ties.
KUALA LUMPUR: Kementerian Kewangan (MOF) perlu menyegerakan tindakan pengauditan dan pengesahan data baki hari kelewatan pembekalan bagi semua kementerian dan agensi pengguna bagi membolehkan Surat Tuntutan Penalti rasmi dapat dikemukakan kepada syarikat konsesi secepat mungkin.
The joint Egyptian-Turkish air exercise Anatolian Eagle 2026 concluded after several days at a Turkish air base with the participation of the air forces of Egypt, Turkey and Azerbaijan, alongside an airborne early warning aircraft from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The closing ceremony was attended by Egyptian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Amr Abdel … The post Egypt, Turkey conclude ‘Anatolian Eagle 2026’ air exercise appeared first on Egypt Independent .
Regional * Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has thanked Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for attending the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. * Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has announced that work is underway on the delimitation and demarcation of the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Bayramov stated that approximately 13 kilometres of the state border line has been delimited so far, adding that ‘the delim
ALTHOUGH it will take time for US-Iran negotiations to produce a durable peace deal, regional states have begun positioning themselves to benefit from the new economic opportunities that are likely to emerge. Anticipating greater regional integration, Türkiye, for example, has announced incentives to attract manufacturing investment. Pakistan, too, is well placed to benefit.
Egypt and Türkiye have concluded the joint air exercise “Anatolian Eagle 2026” at a Turkish air base following several days of intensive training involving the air forces of Egypt, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan, alongside a NATO airborne early warning aircraft. The Egyptian Armed Forces said in a statement that the closing activities were attended by Egyptian […] The post Egypt, Türkiye wrap up ‘Anatolian Eagle 2026’ air drills with Azerbaijan, NATO participation first appeared on Dailynewsegypt .
As Yerevan pursues normalization with Turkey and Azerbaijan and backs a US-led transport corridor, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is working to reassure an increasingly assertive Iran that its interests won't be threatened.
Regional * Georgia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has charged Azerbaijani citizen Emin Aliyev with the murder of his cousin, Fatima Karimova, in Tbilisi. Yesterday’s announcement followed reports by Azerbaijani media that the suspect had been detained in Turkey after fleeing there. The Prosecutor General’s Office said it would ask the court to order Aliyev’s pre-trial detention in absentia and would declare him wanted.
Executive Summary: On June 22–24, Georgia’s Shiite community held the annual Tasu’a mourning processions commemorating Imam Hussein in Tbilisi and in the town of Marneuli, the center of the Kvemo Kartli region, which is densely populated by ethnic Azerbaijanis (Facebook/MarneuliNews.ge, June 24). Georgia’s Shiite community has observed the ritual for many years, although in recent […] The post Iran Contests Baku’s Influence Over Georgia’s Shia Community appeared first on Jamestown .
Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov met with the outgoing Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Huseyn Guliyev, as he concludes his 14-year diplomatic mission in the country.
Georgian prosecutors have charged a suspect in absentia over the murder of an Azerbaijani woman, Fatima Karimova, in Tbilisi under “aggravating circumstances,” days after women’s rights advocates raised alarms over “horrific femicide” and possible “honor crime,” and following subsequent reports that the suspect was arrested in Turkey. According to the July 7 statement by the …
HealthOC Media (South Caucasus)· Jul 7, 2026, 8:47 AM4MODERATE
Armenia * Eccentric tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan, who heads the opposition Prosperous Armenia party, has been arrested on suspicion of organising large-scale fraud and money laundering. * Armenia has appointed its first ambassador to Pakistan following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries in 2025. Azerbaijan * Former Meydan TV employee Haji Hajili was detained in Baku upon his arrival from Norway and remanded in pre-trial detention for three months on smuggling charge
Executive Summary: On June 22, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov paid a state visit to Azerbaijan (President of Azerbaijan, June 22). During the visit, he met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and participated in a series of bilateral meetings and signing ceremonies of agreements. The visit was another step in the continuing Azerbaijan–Turkmenistan cooperation in transportation, […] The post Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan Deepen Strategic Partnership appeared first on Jamestown .
PoliticalGreek City Times· Jul 6, 2026, 10:19 PM3LOW
Greece's Women's National Basketball Team secured first place in Group A after defeating Azerbaijan 79-63 at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket Division B in Samokov, Bulgaria. Greece controlled the game from start to finish and completed the group stage with three wins from three matches, comfortably achieving its first objective of topping the group. Myrto… The post Greek Women's National Basketball Team Secure First Place appeared first on Greek City Times .
Ukraine is transforming into a military technology supplier, having already signed drone export deals with six countries including Latvia, Lithuania, and Azerbaijan, while aiming to complete major defence agreements with seven NATO nations by year-end. The shift reflects growing international demand for Ukrainian expertise in radar systems and drone technology, particularly from Middle Eastern states threatened by Iranian weaponry.
PoliticalTASS English (v2)· Jul 3, 2026, 6:11 PM3LOW
The company also signed a trilateral protocol with Iran and Azerbaijan, according to which the parties will continue to strengthen the commercial attractiveness of the North-South ITC route
PoliticalOC Media (South Caucasus)· Jul 3, 2026, 9:15 AM4MODERATE
Regional * Several high level delegations from the South Caucasus will attend the official funeral ceremony of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. From Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan left for Iran today to attend the ceremony. Georgia has sent out President Mikheil Kavelashvili.
Vakhabov: Uzbekistan Can Be Kabul's Bridge to the West mursaleen Thu, 07/02/2026 - 16:55 Author Bibi Amina Hakimi Profile Photo Author Short Bio Bibi Amina Hakimi reports on the economy for TOLOnews. Author Job TOLOnews' Reporter Afghanistan Javlon Vakhabov, Deputy Adviser to the President of Uzbekistan and Director of the International Institute for Central Asia, said Tashkent considers Afghanistan an integral part of Central Asia and supports its participation in regional processes. Speaking to TOLOnews, Vakhabov said Uzbekistan does not want Afghanistan to remain isolated from regional developments.
PoliticalOC Media (South Caucasus)· Jul 2, 2026, 11:17 AM3MODERATE
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also praised the peace process between the two countries but overlooked human rights issues in Azerbaijan.
Armenia * European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Yerevan this morning, a day after she traveled to Azerbaijan. Following her meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, von der Leyen announced ‘tariff-free access for 80% of Armenia’s exports to the EU’ in addition to the €52 million ($59 million) aid announced in June. * Yesterday, Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, which marked his first official contact with a Russia
BISHKEK, July 2 - Kyrgyzstan asked Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to help ensure stable fuel supplies late on Wednesday, amid concerns over potential shortages linked to Ukraine's drone strikes against Russian oil refineries.
The European Union has announced a €200 million grant package to strengthen transport, energy, and digital connectivity infrastructure across the South Caucasus. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement on Wednesday, July 1, during a visit to Baku, saying the funding will be provided through a “Peace Through Connectivity” package aimed at […] The post EU Allocates €200 Million to Strengthen Regional Connectivity in the South Caucasus appeared first on Hasht-e Subh .
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal met with a delegation from Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis led by MP Alibala Maharramzade.
In 2013 constitutional and other legislative changes initiated the effective dismantling of civic space in Azerbaijan. Since 2013 Azerbaijani authorities have consistently disabled independent civil society by, amongst other things, imprisoning hundreds of human rights defenders, activists, journalists and political opponents on politically motivated charges, and forcing others into exile. This repression is no longer […] The post Azerbaijan: Stop persecution of critics at home and in exile appeared first on Amnesty International .
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Dmytro Shlapachenko of Ukraine as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, with the host Government’s approval.
A young woman from Azerbaijan was found dead in an apartment in Tbilisi after being tricked into coming to Georgia by a boyfriend and later placed in the care of a male relative, women’s rights advocate Baia Pataraia reported on social media on July 1, raising alarm over what she described as a “horrific femicide” …
Supply ChainMeduza (English)· Jun 30, 2026, 7:36 PM3MODERATE
Azerbaijan will bar children under 16 from registering on social media platforms, the Azerbaijani news outlet Oxu.Az reports. The law takes effect 12 months after it is officially published.