Tag: Arayik Harutyunyan
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Arayik Harutyunyan served as President of the Republic of Artsakh from 2020 until its dissolution in September 2023. He took office in the midst of the 44-Day War and led the de facto republic through its most catastrophic period: the military defeat of 2020, the years-long blockade of the Lachin Corridor, and the final Azerbaijani offensive of September 19–20, 2023 that forced the surrender of Artsakh and the ethnic cleansing of its entire population from Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia. The Republic of Artsakh was itself a product of the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh exercising their claimed right to self-determination — and Harutyunyan led an internationally unrecognized but democratically elected government whose existence embodied that assertion.
Following the dissolution of Artsakh and the mass exodus, Harutyunyan remained behind and subsequently surrendered to Azerbaijani authorities. He was arrested and charged with terrorism and other offenses — charges that Armenian officials and international human rights organizations characterized as politically motivated. He has been held in pretrial detention in Baku, joining a group of former Artsakh leaders and officials imprisoned by Azerbaijan following the collapse of the republic.
Groong has covered Harutyunyan extensively across his presidency — his military and political decisions during the 44-Day War, his management of the blockade period, the circumstances of his surrender, and the subsequent legal proceedings in Baku. Episodes in this category address the decisions and constraints he faced as leader of a de facto state under siege, and the broader question of accountability for the collapse of Armenian Karabakh.
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Trump, China, and Iran
- Armenia-Russia “soft divorce”
- Pashinyan’s violent campaign rhetoric
- State resources and election pressure
- Javakhk church vandalism concerns
Episode 547 | Recorded: May 18, 2026
#Pashinyan #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianPolitics #PoliticalViolence #HateSpeech #ArmeniaRussia #IranWar #SouthCaucasus
Pashinyan's Hate Speech, Threats, and the June 7 Election Climate | Ep 547, May 17, 2026 [EP547]
Posted on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, ElectionGroong Links:
Topics:
- Trump, China, and Iran
- Armenia-Russia “soft divorce”
- Pashinyan’s violent campaign rhetoric
- State resources and election pressure
- Javakhk church vandalism concerns
Episode 547 | Recorded: May 18, 2026
#Pashinyan #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianPolitics #PoliticalViolence #HateSpeech #ArmeniaRussia #IranWar #SouthCaucasus
Transcript: Pashinyan's Hate Speech, Threats, and the June 7 Election Climate | Ep 547, May 17, 2026 [EP547]
Posted on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Election, TranscriptThis Week in Review covers a tense mix of global and Armenian political crises, from Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping and the deepening Iran war, to Armenia’s worsening relations with Russia and the risks to trade, energy, and security ties. Hovik and Asbed also examine Armenia’s heated election climate, including allegations of state pressure, abuse of administrative resources, selective law enforcement, Pashinyan’s violent campaign rhetoric against opposition leaders, and the muted response of international observers. The episode also looks at Robert Kocharyan’s call for major-power guarantees for peace with Azerbaijan, and the vandalism of the Sourp Nshan Armenian Church in Javakhk.
Anna Grigoryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 544, May 11, 2026 [EP544]
Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026 | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Election campaign and opposition strategy
- EPC, EU-Armenia summit, and foreign influence
- Foreign policy, security, and regional risks
- Domestic priorities and election integrity
Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026
#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh
Anna Grigoryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 544, May 11, 2026 [EP544]
Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Election campaign and opposition strategy
- EPC, EU-Armenia summit, and foreign influence
- Foreign policy, security, and regional risks
- Domestic priorities and election integrity
Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026
#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh
Transcript: Anna Grigoryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 544, May 11, 2026 [EP544]
Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026 | Category: TranscriptAnna Grigoryan of Hayastan Dashinq (Armenia Alliance) joins Groong to discuss Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary election and the start of the official campaign. The conversation examines the EPC and Armenia-EU summits in Yerevan, EU political and financial support for Pashinyan, Aliyev’s remote demarche, and opposition protests around Artsakh rights, Armenian prisoners, and democratic backsliding. The episode also covers opposition coalition math, Hayastan Dashinq’s 8% bloc threshold, Strong Armenia’s lead among opposition forces, possible post-election governing formulas, Read More
Arthur Martirosyan - 44 Day War, Ukraine, Iran-Israel, Sargsyan and Kocharyan Interviews, Narek Karapetyan on Tucker Carlson | Ep 484, Nov 9, 2025 [EP484]
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Nov 9: 44-Day War 5 years Hence
- Ukraine and Iran-Israel Conflicts
- Pres. Serge Sargsyanâs Interview
- Pres. Robert Kocharyanâs Interview
- Narek Karapetyan on Tucker Carlson
Episode 484 | Recorded: November 10, 2025
Arthur Martirosyan - 44 Day War, Ukraine, Iran-Israel, Sargsyan and Kocharyan Interviews, Narek Karapetyan on Tucker Carlson | Ep 484, Nov 9, 2025 [EP484]
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, RussiaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Nov 9: 44-Day War 5 years Hence
- Ukraine and Iran-Israel Conflicts
- Pres. Serge Sargsyanâs Interview
- Pres. Robert Kocharyanâs Interview
- Narek Karapetyan on Tucker Carlson
Episode 484 | Recorded: November 10, 2025
The Political Persecution of Narek Malyan | Ep 402 - Dec 27, 2024 [EP402]
Posted on Friday, Dec 27, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Political Prisoners, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Arrest, one year in prison
- Pre-trial detention as punishment
- Selective “justice” against opposition members
- The silence of the West
Episode 402 | Recorded: November 7, 2024