The Region in Brief

Armenia A domestic controversy has emerged after the dismissal of Armine Sogoyan, a medical professional who had worked at a Yerevan polyclinic for 21 years. Sogoyan previously had a public confrontation with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Her daughter, Tatevik Sogoyan, said she was later dismissed because her position was being eliminated. According to the family, the polyclinic will continue to operate a women’s consultation department but will no longer employ a department head. They questioned the official explanation that the decision was caused by financial constraints and alleged that the dismissal was retaliation for publicly challenging the prime minister. Artsakh The continued detention of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan received renewed attention during a conference at the European Parliament titled “Armenian Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan and the Imperative of EU Involvement.” The event brought together European lawmakers, legal representatives and family members of Armenian detainees. Participants argued that the European Union has failed to use its political and economic influence effectively to pressure Baku. Armen Ishkhanyan, the son of detained former Artsakh National Assembly Chairman and ARF Bureau member David Ishkhanyan, said there was no unified European position on securing the prisoners’ release. He said his father and other Armenians had been held for nearly 1,000 days on fabricated charges. Ishkhanyan also criticized the absence of the prisoner issue from negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He said prisoner exchanges or releases historically have been among the first measures included in genuine peace processes, raising questions about Baku’s stated commitment to reconciliation. Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan called on the EU to make the release of Armenian prisoners a condition for further engagement with Azerbaijan. She said international lawyers had not been permitted to meet with the prisoners confidentially and raised concerns about civilians being tried in military courts. She also criticized restrictions preventing international journalists, diplomats, independent observers and relatives from attending hearings. Although the proceedings are officially described as open, she said Azerbaijani authorities maintain complete control over access to information. She urged European institutions to demand immediate and regular access to the detainees for family members, independent lawyers, medical professionals, humanitarian organizations and representatives of neutral countries. On the other hand, newly disclosed medical information has raised concerns about the health of Armenian detainee Lyudvig Mkrtchyan, who has been held in Azerbaijan since October 2020. Iran Military confrontation between Iran and the United States intensified further as both sides announced new rounds of strikes and hardened their positions over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched missile attacks against U.S. military targets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. According to the IRGC, the strikes targeted the command center of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain, along with military equipment depots and fuel storage facilities. The IRGC also claimed to have destroyed a U.S. logistics and supply center in Kuwait’s Mina Abdullah area. It said a second wave of attacks targeted Jordan’s Al-Azraq Air Base, including F/A-18 fighter aircraft and warehouses containing U.S. military equipment. The IRGC announced that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington ended what it described as “hostile actions” against Iran. It also pledged to continue striking U.S. military bases until what it called “final victory.” U.S. Central Command, meanwhile, said American fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels using precision-guided munitions had targeted Iranian missile and drone infrastructure, naval capabilities and coastal defense systems. According to CENTCOM, the operation was intended to further reduce Iran’s ability to threaten international commercial shipping and civilian crews in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes followed the United States’ resumption earlier the same day of a maritime blockade targeting vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports. US President Donald Trump said contacts between the United States and Iran were continuing, including discussions July 14. He maintained that Tehran wanted an agreement but repeatedly violated previous commitments, adding that he was not prepared to resume negotiations. The escalation also is creating political divisions in Washington. The U.S. Senate failed to advance a bill that would have authorized $1.15 trillion in military spending for 2027. The procedural vote received 50 votes in favor and 46 against, falling short of the 60 votes required for further consideration. Turkey Turkish authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the vandalism of an Armenian cemetery in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district. According to the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, an unidentified individual entered the cemetery of the Armenian St. Garabed Church during the night of July 7-8 and damaged six tombs and a fountain. After the incident, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation. A person identified by the initials M.K. was later named as a suspect and taken into custody. Turkish media reported that the arrest was made within 48 hours of the incident. The suspect was later brought before the Istanbul prosecutor’s office and referred to court with a request for pretrial detention. The investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to establish the circumstances and motive behind the attack. The incident has renewed concerns over the protection of Armenian religious and cultural sites in Turkey.  The post The Region in Brief appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.