Human Rights

Last updated: May 29, 2026

Human rights issues run through nearly every dimension of the South Caucasus conflicts that Groong covers. Nearly 100 episodes address human rights questions directly, from the treatment of Armenian prisoners of war held by Azerbaijan to the ethnic cleansing of more than 150,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) in 2023.

Coverage spans a wide range of subjects: the documentation of war crimes during the 2020 and 2023 conflicts, Azerbaijan’s track record on political prisoners and press freedom, the human rights situation inside Armenia, the rights of Armenian diaspora communities, and the work of international bodies such as the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights in cases brought by Armenia and individual Armenians against Azerbaijan.

Guest:

  • Hrant Mikaelian, a political scientist and multidisciplinary researcher in social sciences based in Yerevan. He is also a senior researcher at the Caucasus Institute.

“The full state-led attack against Artsakh and Armenia, which no-one in Europe condemned, was a case where the military solution worked. From 2020 onwards, many actors in the world see that you can attack and get away with it.”

Topic:

This is Day 8 of the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan. 120 thousand people are effectively being held hostage by the regime in Baku.

Groong and 168 Hours are continuing our

 Read More

Guest:

For three days now the campaign instigated by the government of Azerbaijan has prevented the freedom of movement of Armenians of Artsakh. Gas supplies have also been cut off.

“Artsakh is still Armenian land. Artsakh is still an independent republic. Artsakh is not gone. … We have to hold on to what remains of this land here.” - Gev Iskajyan

Episode 183 | Recorded: December 14, 2022

Guest:

Topics:

  • Massive Stepanakert Rally
  • The Sullivan Plan
  • CSTO Security Council Convened
  • Trilateral Summit in Sochi
  • From Sochi to Tehran

Episode 173 | Recorded: November 1, 2022

Guests:

Topics:

  • Monitors in Armenia
  • Russia-West Rivalry in the South Caucasus
  • Armenian-Iranian Relations
  • Maritime Agreement between Israel and Lebanon
  • State of Lebanon’s Presidential Election

Guests:

Topics:

  • On the LA City Council scandal and how to move forward
  • On Paul Krekorian, elected LA City Council president
  • On redistricting in the aftermath of the scandal
  • On the effect of the scandal on the LA mayoral race
  • On Armenia’s Situation in the South Caucasus
  • On Armenia’s Negotiations with Azerbaijan
  • On Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”

Episode 170 | Recorded: October 19 & 20, 2022

Guests:

Topics:

  • Census in progress in Armenia
  • Meetings in Astana
  • Developments in Iran
  • Armenian websites compromised
  • Remembering the TsOR artillery unit

Episode 169 | Recorded: October 17, 2022

Guest:

Topics:

  • US-Armenia Relations
  • Azerbaijan’s Maps and Claims
  • Azerbaijan Continues to Occupy Armenia
  • Internal Politics in Armenia

Episode 166 | Recorded: October 1 & 3, 2022

Guests:

Topics:

  • Azerbaijani Aggression
  • Russia and CSTO
  • UN & International Reaction
  • War Communications (with Karen Vrtanesyan)
  • Nancy Pelosi’s Visit (with Suren Sargsyan)

Episode 165 | Recorded: Sunday, September 18, 2022

Armenian News Network - Groong Week in Review - Sep 4, 2022

Topics:

  • September 2: Artsakh Independence Day
    • September 2 is a public holiday commemorating the day 31 years ago when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic declared independence from the USSR. Before 2020, this would be a festive holiday. This year, there were protests in both Yerevan and Stepanakert as well as visits to the gravesites of fallen heroes.
  • Developments in Geopolitics
    • There were two major meetings this week between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On August 30, the deputy PMs met in Moscow, then on August 31, Pashinyan and Aliyev met
 Read More