Prisoners of War

ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 7, 2021

Topics:

• The War in Artsakh, One Year Later
• Erika Olson visits the South Caucasus
• Internal political developments

Guests:

• Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos

Guest(s):

• Benyamin Poghosyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
• Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 99 | Recorded: Monday, November 8, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211107.html

Guest(s):

• Virginia Davies
• Heghnar Watenpaugh

Save Armenian Monuments A Conversation with Virginia Davies and Heghnar Watenpaugh

Topics:

• One year after the War in Artsakh, the State of Armenian Monuments in Lands turned over to Azerbaijan
• What is Save Armenian Monuments?
• The Significance of Pilgrimage and Holy Sites
• Armenia and Azerbaijan at the International Court of Justice: Is Intentional Cultural Destruction a form of Racial Discrimination?
• What Next Steps?

Guests:

• Virginia Davies TW/@vdaviesnyc
• Heghnar Watenpaugh TW/@HeghnarW

Host:

• Simon Maghakyan TW/@simonforco

Episode 97 |

Guest(s):

• Virginia Davies
• Heghnar Watenpaugh

Save Armenian Monuments A Conversation with Virginia Davies and Heghnar Watenpaugh

Topics:

• One year after the War in Artsakh, the State of Armenian Monuments in Lands turned over to Azerbaijan
• What is Save Armenian Monuments?
• The Significance of Pilgrimage and Holy Sites
• Armenia and Azerbaijan at the International Court of Justice: Is Intentional Cultural Destruction a form of Racial Discrimination?
• What Next Steps?

Guests:

• Virginia Davies TW/@vdaviesnyc
• Heghnar Watenpaugh TW/@HeghnarW

Host:

• Simon Maghakyan TW/@simonforco

Episode 97 |

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 24, 2021

Topics:

• Yerevan’s “Positive Messages”
• Opposition Going Back to Street Rallies?
• Ruling Party Setbacks in Local Elections
• Vano Siradeghyan Dies

Guests:

• Tevan Poghosyan TW/@TevanPoghosyan

Guest(s):

• Tevan Poghosyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
• Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 94 | Recorded: October 25, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211024.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 24, 2021

Topics:

• Yerevan’s “Positive Messages”
• Opposition Going Back to Street Rallies?
• Ruling Party Setbacks in Local Elections
• Vano Siradeghyan Dies

Guests:

• Tevan Poghosyan TW/@TevanPoghosyan

Guest(s):

• Tevan Poghosyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
• Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 94 | Recorded: October 25, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211024.html

Guest(s):

• Pietro Shakarian

ANN/Groong Week in Review - September 19, 2021

Topics:

• Independence Day
• Pashinyan’s Turkish overtures
• Goris-Kapan highway

Guests:

• Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

• Hovik Manucharyan

Episode #89 | Recorded: September 20, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210919.html

Guest(s):

• Pietro Shakarian

ANN/Groong Week in Review - September 19, 2021

Topics:

• Independence Day
• Pashinyan’s Turkish overtures
• Goris-Kapan highway

Guests:

• Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

• Hovik Manucharyan

Episode #89 | Recorded: September 20, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210919.html

Calls for a Commission to Analyze the Defeat in the 2020 Artsakh War

A Conversation with Dr. Simon Saradzhyan, Arthur G. Martirosyan, and Tevan Poghosyan

The disastrous outcome of the 2020 War in Artsakh has left Armenians in Armenia and around the world with many unanswered questions. Many long-time held beliefs about the capability of Armenia to defend Artsakh, and Armenia itself, were shattered on November 9, with the signing of the trilateral ceasefire statement.

A group of more than 10 academics and researchers recently published a lengthy set of questions that are proposed as a basis for

Calls for a Commission to Analyze the Defeat in the 2020 Artsakh War

A Conversation with Dr. Simon Saradzhyan, Arthur G. Martirosyan, and Tevan Poghosyan

The disastrous outcome of the 2020 War in Artsakh has left Armenians in Armenia and around the world with many unanswered questions. Many long-time held beliefs about the capability of Armenia to defend Artsakh, and Armenia itself, were shattered on November 9, with the signing of the trilateral ceasefire statement.

A group of more than 10 academics and researchers recently published a lengthy set of questions that are proposed as a basis for

ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 25, 2021

Topics:

• Escalation in Yeraskh
• “Peace Treaty” at Gunpoint
• Emigration out of Armenia
• Trip Report from Our Guests

Guests:

• Varuzhan Geghamyan
• Hrant Mikaelian

Episode 81 | Recorded: July 26, 2021

ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 25, 2021

Topics:

• Escalation in Yeraskh
• “Peace Treaty” at Gunpoint
• Emigration out of Armenia
• Trip Report from Our Guests

Guests:

• Varuzhan Geghamyan
• Hrant Mikaelian

Episode 81 | Recorded: July 26, 2021

ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 27, 2021 Topics:

• Armenian Elections Recap
• Protests in Artsakh

Guests:

• Hrant Mikaelian
• Emil Sanamyan

Guest(s):

• Hrant Mikaelian
• Emil Sanamyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 76 | Recorded: June 27, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210627.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 27, 2021 Topics:

• Armenian Elections Recap
• Protests in Artsakh

Guests:

• Hrant Mikaelian
• Emil Sanamyan

Guest(s):

• Hrant Mikaelian
• Emil Sanamyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 76 | Recorded: June 27, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210627.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 13, 2021 Topics:

• Meltdown at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Philip Reeker’s Visit to the Region
• 15 POWs Return Home
• Latest Election Poll Results

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Tevan Poghosyan

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Tevan Poghosyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 70 | Recorded: June 13, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210613.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 13, 2021 Topics:

• Meltdown at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Philip Reeker’s Visit to the Region
• 15 POWs Return Home
• Latest Election Poll Results

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Tevan Poghosyan

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Tevan Poghosyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 70 | Recorded: June 13, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210613.html

ARF-Dashnaktsutyun: Roadmap and Challenges

Guest

• Giro Manoyan has been a member of the ARF-D Bureau since 2015. Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, he moved to Montreal, Canada in 1976. He has served as the Executive Secretary of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, as well as the Editor in Chief of the Horizon Armenian Weekly. In 1999 he moved to Yerevan and has served as the Executive Director of the Bureau of the ARF-D, in charge of the Armenian Cause, Hai Tahd Central Committee.

Topics

• The ARF in the Politics of Armenia
• On the War in 2020
• On the Upcoming Elections in 2021
• On the

ARF-Dashnaktsutyun: Roadmap and Challenges

Guest

• Giro Manoyan has been a member of the ARF-D Bureau since 2015. Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, he moved to Montreal, Canada in 1976. He has served as the Executive Secretary of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, as well as the Editor in Chief of the Horizon Armenian Weekly. In 1999 he moved to Yerevan and has served as the Executive Director of the Bureau of the ARF-D, in charge of the Armenian Cause, Hai Tahd Central Committee.

Topics

• The ARF in the Politics of Armenia
• On the War in 2020
• On the Upcoming Elections in 2021
• On the

Guest(s):

• Robert Markarian

Iran: Foreign Relations and Upcoming Elections A Conversation with Robert Markarian

The South Caucasus comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The three regional powers surrounding them are Russia to the north, Turkey to the west, and Iran in the south.

Iran has been largely quiet about events on its northern border with Armenia and Azerbaijan, due largely to its marginalization on the world stage because of the Western economic sanctions but also because Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris and any perceived support for Armenia could result in additional

Guest(s):

• Robert Markarian

Iran: Foreign Relations and Upcoming Elections A Conversation with Robert Markarian

The South Caucasus comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The three regional powers surrounding them are Russia to the north, Turkey to the west, and Iran in the south.

Iran has been largely quiet about events on its northern border with Armenia and Azerbaijan, due largely to its marginalization on the world stage because of the Western economic sanctions but also because Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris and any perceived support for Armenia could result in additional

ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 6, 2021

Topics:

• Kocharyan Closes in on Pashinyan in Election Polls
• Pashinyan Visits Europe

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan

Hosts:

• Asbed Bedrossian
• Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210606.html

Episode 66 | Recorded: June 6, 2021

ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 6, 2021

Topics:

• Kocharyan Closes in on Pashinyan in Election Polls
• Pashinyan Visits Europe

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan

Hosts:

• Asbed Bedrossian
• Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210606.html

Episode 66 | Recorded: June 6, 2021

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 2, 2021

Topics:

• Armenia-Russia Relations and the New Cold War
• Iran-Russia and Iran-Armenia Relations
• Election Politics and the Latest MPG Polls
• Serge Sargsyan’s Interview

Guests:

• Marine Manucharyan @armoland
• Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

• Marine Manucharyan
• Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

• Asbed Bedrossian @qubriq
• Hovik Manucharyan @HovikYerevan

Episode 60 | Recorded: May 2, 2021

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 2, 2021

Topics:

• Armenia-Russia Relations and the New Cold War
• Iran-Russia and Iran-Armenia Relations
• Election Politics and the Latest MPG Polls
• Serge Sargsyan’s Interview

Guests:

• Marine Manucharyan @armoland
• Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

• Marine Manucharyan
• Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

• Asbed Bedrossian @qubriq
• Hovik Manucharyan @HovikYerevan

Episode 60 | Recorded: May 2, 2021

ANN/Groong Week in Review - April 11, 2021

Topics:

• Mr. Pashinyan goes to Moscow
• Election Politics
• The POW debacle
• A Coronavirus Update
• The State of the Economy

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Hrant Mikaelian

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Hrant Mikaelian

Hosts:

• Asbed Bedrossian
• Hovik Manucharyan

Episode 57 | Recorded: April 12, 2021

ANN/Groong Week in Review - April 11, 2021

Topics:

• Mr. Pashinyan goes to Moscow
• Election Politics
• The POW debacle
• A Coronavirus Update
• The State of the Economy

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Hrant Mikaelian

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Hrant Mikaelian

Hosts:

• Asbed Bedrossian
• Hovik Manucharyan

Episode 57 | Recorded: April 12, 2021

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 14, 2021

Topics:

• Newly Released IRI Poll Results
• Armen Grigoryan’s Interview
• Snap On, Snap Off!

Guests

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Hosts

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210314.html Episode 53 | Recorded on March 14, 2021

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 14, 2021

Topics:

• Newly Released IRI Poll Results
• Armen Grigoryan’s Interview
• Snap On, Snap Off!

Guests

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Hosts

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210314.html Episode 53 | Recorded on March 14, 2021

Guest(s):

• Hrant Mikaelian
• Emil Sanamyan

ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 48 - February 7, 2021

Topics Covered:

• Lost in Artsakh, Thirsty in Syunik
• Amending the Law on Mass Media
• Update on the Political Scene in Yerevan
• Rising National Debt, Inflation and Interest Rates

Guests

• Hrant Mikaelian
• Emil Sanamyan

Your Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210207.html Recorded: February 7, 2021

Guest(s):

• Hrant Mikaelian
• Emil Sanamyan

ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 48 - February 7, 2021

Topics Covered:

• Lost in Artsakh, Thirsty in Syunik
• Amending the Law on Mass Media
• Update on the Political Scene in Yerevan
• Rising National Debt, Inflation and Interest Rates

Guests

• Hrant Mikaelian
• Emil Sanamyan

Your Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210207.html Recorded: February 7, 2021

Guest(s):

• Ruben Muradyan

Armenian IT Security and Readiness During Wartime - with Ruben Muradyan - Jan. 31, 2021

Experience being called up and participating in the war

Ethics of a security professional. What to do when a government member asks you to conduct greyhat (potentially unlawful or unethical) security?

On the 2nd day of the war Ruben was called up to the army as part of an infantry company.

• Can you describe your experience?
• How were you drafted? And where did you serve?
• What specialty did you have in the army?
• What can you tell us about what you saw?
• Why did we lose the war?

Guest(s):

• Ruben Muradyan

Armenian IT Security and Readiness During Wartime - with Ruben Muradyan - Jan. 31, 2021

Experience being called up and participating in the war

Ethics of a security professional. What to do when a government member asks you to conduct greyhat (potentially unlawful or unethical) security?

On the 2nd day of the war Ruben was called up to the army as part of an infantry company.

• Can you describe your experience?
• How were you drafted? And where did you serve?
• What specialty did you have in the army?
• What can you tell us about what you saw?
• Why did we lose the war?

Guest(s):

• Ruben Melikyan

Former Artsakh Ombudsman Ruben Melikyan - 01/18/2021

We’ll be discussing various legal and human-rights topics within the context of recent developments in Armenia.

Guest:

• Ruben Melikyan was formerly Artsakh’s Human Rights Ombudsman and prior to that rector of the Justice Academy of Armenia. In 2019, Melikyan co-founded and currently leads the “Path of Law” NGO.

Topics:

• Why are there Armenian POWs still in Azerbaijan so long after the Nov. 9 ceasefire agreement?
• On Constitutional Court judges being forced to resign
• On Parliament’s endorsement of Gagik

Guest(s):

• Ruben Melikyan

Former Artsakh Ombudsman Ruben Melikyan - 01/18/2021

We’ll be discussing various legal and human-rights topics within the context of recent developments in Armenia.

Guest:

• Ruben Melikyan was formerly Artsakh’s Human Rights Ombudsman and prior to that rector of the Justice Academy of Armenia. In 2019, Melikyan co-founded and currently leads the “Path of Law” NGO.

Topics:

• Why are there Armenian POWs still in Azerbaijan so long after the Nov. 9 ceasefire agreement?
• On Constitutional Court judges being forced to resign
• On Parliament’s endorsement of Gagik

Guest(s):

• Aram Vardevanyan

Conversation with Aram Vardevanyan - 01/13/2021

Since Nikol Pashinyan came to power in 2018, and prior to the Artsakh war of 2020, issues around the Armenian constitution and constitutional court have been in the center of public attention. These issues have been partly fueled by one of the most prominent legal cases in recent Armenian history, the March 1 trial against Armenian president Robert Kocharyan and military leadership at the time. We’ll explore issues surrounding the March 1 case, as well as legal and specifically constitutional questions related

Guest(s):

• Aram Vardevanyan

Conversation with Aram Vardevanyan - 01/13/2021

Since Nikol Pashinyan came to power in 2018, and prior to the Artsakh war of 2020, issues around the Armenian constitution and constitutional court have been in the center of public attention. These issues have been partly fueled by one of the most prominent legal cases in recent Armenian history, the March 1 trial against Armenian president Robert Kocharyan and military leadership at the time. We’ll explore issues surrounding the March 1 case, as well as legal and specifically constitutional questions related

Guest(s):

• Maria Karapetyan

Conversation with My Step’s Maria Karapetyan - 01/08/2021

As protesters in the streets of Yerevan continue demanding the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan in the aftermath of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, the ruling My Step faction seems to be firmly on the side of the prime minister.

In the last week or so here at Groong we hosted representatives of various opposition parties and today we will host a representative from the ruling My Step faction to talk about the ongoing political crisis in Armenia.

Today we’re joined by:

Maria Karapetyan, who is a member

Guest(s):

• Maria Karapetyan

Conversation with My Step’s Maria Karapetyan - 01/08/2021

As protesters in the streets of Yerevan continue demanding the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan in the aftermath of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, the ruling My Step faction seems to be firmly on the side of the prime minister.

In the last week or so here at Groong we hosted representatives of various opposition parties and today we will host a representative from the ruling My Step faction to talk about the ongoing political crisis in Armenia.

Today we’re joined by:

Maria Karapetyan, who is a member

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Irina Safaryan

ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 35 - Dec 20, 2020

Topics Covered:

• Life in Artsakh
• Update on Hin Tagher & Khtsaberd
• Internal Political Situation in Yerevan
• Kapan Border Tension

Guests

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Irina Safaryan
• Emil Sanamyan

Your Hosts:

• Asbed Bedrossian
• Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201220.html Recorded: Dec 20, 2020

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Irina Safaryan

ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 35 - Dec 20, 2020

Topics Covered:

• Life in Artsakh
• Update on Hin Tagher & Khtsaberd
• Internal Political Situation in Yerevan
• Kapan Border Tension

Guests

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Irina Safaryan
• Emil Sanamyan

Your Hosts:

• Asbed Bedrossian
• Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201220.html Recorded: Dec 20, 2020

Guest(s):

• Arthur Khachatryan

Conversation with ARF’s Arthur Khachatryan

Following the trilateral Karabakh ceasefire of Nov 9, the Armenian opposition has nearly universally condemned Nikol Pashinyan’s agreement to the deal. The largest opposition grouping, called Movement of the Salvation of the Homeland (Հայրենիքի փրկության շաժում in Armenian), composed of 17 political parties including the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Prosperous Armenia, and the Republican Party, are demanding Pashinyan’s immediate resignation and the appointment of their

Guest(s):

• Arthur Khachatryan

Conversation with ARF’s Arthur Khachatryan

Following the trilateral Karabakh ceasefire of Nov 9, the Armenian opposition has nearly universally condemned Nikol Pashinyan’s agreement to the deal. The largest opposition grouping, called Movement of the Salvation of the Homeland (Հայրենիքի փրկության շաժում in Armenian), composed of 17 political parties including the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Prosperous Armenia, and the Republican Party, are demanding Pashinyan’s immediate resignation and the appointment of their

ANN/Groong Week in Review - 08/30/2020

Topics:

• Armenian POW Gurgen Alaverdyan
• Armenia’s Humanitarian Aid to Aleppo
• Serge Sargsyan’s Interview and the Four-Day War Deliberations
• National Awards
• Vagharshak Harutyunyan’s Appointment as Chief Advisor to Pashinyan

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200830.html Episode 11 | Recorded on August 30 2020

ANN/Groong Week in Review - 08/30/2020

Topics:

• Armenian POW Gurgen Alaverdyan
• Armenia’s Humanitarian Aid to Aleppo
• Serge Sargsyan’s Interview and the Four-Day War Deliberations
• National Awards
• Vagharshak Harutyunyan’s Appointment as Chief Advisor to Pashinyan

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Guest(s):

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200830.html Episode 11 | Recorded on August 30 2020