Elizaveta Chukahrova, an independent journalist from the North Caucasus, phones in to talk about the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the North Caucasus and how Russian authorities attempt to hide the number of dead. Read more: Coffins from Ukraine in the North Caucasus OC Media editor Yousef Bardouka talks about the commemoration of the Circassian Genocide in Nalchik and the state of Circassian activism in the diaspora. Read more: Activists commemorate Circassian Genocide in Nalchik de...
May 25, 2023•17 min
As Turkey holds a runoff presidential election after Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed to gather 50% of the vote, many inside and outside of Turkey are left wondering what the future might hold for them. This week on the Caucasus Digest, we spoke to Ahmad Alili, director of the Caucasus Policy Analysis Center, and Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center to shed light how the outcome of the elections might affect Azerbaijan and Armenia respectively. Read more: What an opposition win...
May 18, 2023•21 min
Azerbaijan has ranked 151st on this year’s World Press Freedom Index — the 29th worst in the world. On this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, OC Media speaks to Arzu Geybulla, a journalist and media expert, and Orkhan Mammad, an editor at Meydan TV, about how Baku’s policies serve to constrict media freedom in Azerbaijan or even force journalists into exile. Read more: Aliyev signs law to muzzle press Censorship and violence: the challenges to press freedom in the Caucasus in 2022 Become a ...
May 10, 2023•33 min
Tigran Grigoryan, a political analyst and head of the Regional Centre for Democracy and Security, joins Robin Fabbro to talk about the establishment of an Azerbaijani checkpoint at the start of the Lachin Corridor and what it might mean for the future of Nagorno-Karabakh. Lala Darchinova from the Imagine Centre for Conflict Transformation discusses Azerbaijani narratives around the conflict and the role of peacebuilding in achieving reconciliation between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Read more: A...
Apr 27, 2023•25 min
Luiza Mchedlishvili talks about how Tumso Abdurakhmanov, a popular Chechen opposition blogger, reportedly his own death to fool Chechnya Head Ramzan Kadyrov. Read more: Chechen blogger claims he ‘staged own death’ to fool Kadyrov Mariam Nikuradze talks about this year’s leloburti game — a rugby-like sport played on Easter in the western Georgian community of Shukhuti. Read more: In pictures | Rugby with no rules — Easter in Guria Become a supporter at oc-media.org/support_us , or on Patreon ....
Apr 19, 2023•19 min
Mark Youngman, the executive director of Threatologist and a senior lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, sheds light on the latest insurgent attacks in Ingushetia and Chechnya. Read more: Three police officers killed in latest battle with gunmen in Ingushetia Ismi Aghayev talks about the latest clashes between on the Azerbaijan–Armenia border and the reactions to the Tuesday’s clash and the conflict among Azerbaijanis. Read more: Deadly clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan near Lachin Cor...
Apr 12, 2023•26 min
Mariam Nikuradze talks about the US sanctions against four senior Georgian judges for ‘undermining the rule of law’ in the country. She breaks down the judges’ ties to an alleged ‘clan’ in Georgia’s judicial system that is associated with the ruling Georgian Dream party. Read more: US sanctions senior Georgian judges for ‘undermining rule of law’ Ani Avetisyan talks about the recent Russian ban on Armenian dairy products, its effect on Armenia’s dairy industry, and whether the decision was polit...
Apr 06, 2023•15 min
Bahruz Samadov, a researcher at Charles University in Prague, talks about nationalism in Azerbaijan and the reactions to his opinion piece about the Azerbaijani regime’s exclusionary and militant nationalism. Read more: Opinion | Azerbaijan needs an alternative to nationalist militarism Mariam Nikuradze shares the latest on the sexual harassment accusations levelled against POSTV co-owner Shalva Ramishvili. Read more: Pro-government Georgian TV station attacks woman who was harassed by its found...
Mar 30, 2023•24 min
Tigran Grigoryan, a political analyst and the head of the Regional Centre for Democracy and Security, phones in to talk about the growing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan as fears grow of a new war between the two countries. Read more: Week of ceasefire violations in Nagorno-Karabakh as tensions mount Tata Shoshiashvili talks about a newborn trafficking scheme that allegedly kidnapping of dozens of thousands of victims between the 1950s and the early 2000s. Read more: Georgia’s lost paren...
Mar 22, 2023•21 min
Nodar Rukhadze, the co-founder of the liberal activist Shame movement, discusses the participation of millennials and Gen Z in the foreign agent protests of 7–8 March in Tbilisi, and the future political prospects of Georgia’s youth. Read more: In pictures | Tear gas and water cannons: Georgia’s foreign agent protests In pictures | Georgians defeat the foreign agent law Bashir Kitachayev, an independent journalist from Azerbaijan, phones in to discuss his opinion piece about the closure of the L...
Mar 15, 2023•23 min
Robin Fabbro and Mariam Nikuradze break down the 7–8 March protests against the Georgian foreign agent law, from the moments leading up to the massive demonstrations to Georgian Dream’s announcement to drop the controversial bill. Tens of thousands gathered outside parliament to protest the law but were dispersed by riot police equipped with teargas and pepper spray and backed by water cannons and sonic weapons on both nights. Read more: Georgian foreign agent law to be dropped after second nigh...
Mar 10, 2023•33 min
Chai Khana’s Executive Director, Lika Antadze, talks about her outlet’s decision to boycott the foreign agent bill in Georgia, and what the bill could mean for independent media and civil society organisations. Both Chai Khana , OC Media, and over 60 other media organisations signed a petition vowing to disobey the draft law if it is adopted by parliament. Read more: OC Media joins over 60 media groups in vow to disobey Georgian foreign agent law Editorial | Only decisive action can save Georgia...
Mar 02, 2023•15 min
OC Media’s staff get together to discuss the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the South Caucasus. Mariam Nikuradze talks about how the war became a catalyst for the growing rift between Georgia and the west. Read more: Georgian Dream hits out at ‘spies’ and Western-funded ‘extremism’ Georgia’s (in)human rights strategy Russia’s top diplomat compliments Georgia for not ‘irritating’ them Ani Avetisyan talks about Armenia’s shaky relationship with Russia and the latter’s role as a major pl...
Feb 24, 2023•20 min
Mariam Nikuradze discusses the foreign agent bill that is about to be submitted to parliament by the People’s Power — a group of MPs who formally left the ruling Georgian Dream party to ‘speak openly’ about a supposed Western conspiracy to drag Georgia into war with Russia. She talks about what the bill could mean for OC Media and other media and civil society organisations. Read more: Foreign agent law to be submitted to Georgian Parliament Najmin Kamilsoy, co-founder of Agora, an Azerbaijani t...
Feb 16, 2023•25 min
Ani Avetisyan discusses how the South Caucasus responded to the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. She breaks down how Armenia’s offer of assistance to Turkey could reflect on the normalisation of relations between the two countries. Read more: The South Caucasus sends aid following deadly quake Tata Shoshiashvili discusses reactions to the Georgian Parliament’s newly introduced ‘code of ethics’ which would allow the authorities to ban journalists for questioning MPs. Read more: N...
Feb 08, 2023•12 min
Mariam Nikuradze talks about Levan Khabeishvili’s election as the United National Movement’s chair and recent statements about pulling the party out of the parliament in exchange for Mikheil Saakashvili’s release from prison. Read more: New UNM leader vows party will leave parliament if Saakashvili is freed Ismi Aghayev discusses the fatal 27 January attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran and its effects on the already strained Baku–Tehran relations. Read more: One dead in attack on Azerbai...
Feb 01, 2023•13 min
Loujaine Laamal, an MA student in geopolitics at the French Institute of Geopolitics, discusses Ramzan Kadyrov’s politicisation of sports in Chechnya, and his attempts to construct a national identity focused on sportsmanship to help secure the future of his regime. Read more: Analysis | How Kadyrov uses ‘the Path of Akhmat’ in sports to cement his rule in Chechnya Ismi Aghayev talks about imprisoned political activists and figures in Azerbaijan who claim they have been arrested on falsified cha...
Jan 26, 2023•17 min
More than a month into the closure of the Lachin corridor, Tigran Grigoryan, a political analyst and the head of the Regional Centre for Democracy and Security, phones in to discuss rumours surrounding the potential resignation of State Minister Ruben Vardanyan. Read more: Nagorno-Karabakh reports gas cut for second time since start of blockade Mariam Nikuradze breaks down the extremist far-right group Alt Info’s activities this week after a Georgian court reduced the sentences of six men involv...
Jan 18, 2023•20 min
Former senior editor Peter Liakhov joins Robin Fabbro and Mariam Nikuradze to discuss the OC Media team’s predictions for the past year and how they had panned out. The three share their own hot takes for 2023. Read the full list of predictions made by OC Media’s staff members here: What can the Caucasus expect in 2022? Become a supporter at oc-media.org/support_us , or on Patreon ....
Jan 11, 2023•35 min
Tata Shoshiashvili discusses the recently released security footage of imprisoned former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili in his hospital room. Georgian authorities released the footage citing ‘high public interest’ and accused Saakashvili of feigning his illness. Read more: Government releases hospital footage of Saakashvili, citing ‘high public interest’ Marut Vanyan, a freelance journalist from Stepanakert, talks about the situation inside Nagorno-Karabakh 10 days into the closure of th...
Dec 21, 2022•12 min
Arman Grigoryan, an associate professor of International Relations at Lehigh University, discusses the closure of the Lachin corridor and its implications for Nagorno-Karabakh. Read more: Lachin corridor blocked by Azerbaijani ‘eco-activists’ Mariam Nikuradze discusses the latest updates on Georgia–Ukraine relations, as the ruling Georgian Dream party threatens to strip Georgian volunteers in Ukraine of their citizenship. Read more: Georgian Government threatens to strip Ukraine fighters of citi...
Dec 14, 2022•25 min
Keti Bakhtadze, a strategic litigation lawyer at WISG, discusses last week’s European Court of Human Rights ruling that deemed Georgia’s gender recognition legislation to be vague. The complaint was submitted to the court by three Georgian trans men to whom the Georgian authorities had refused to issue documents with gender markers matching their gender identities. Read more: Three Georgian trans men win gender recognition case at European Court Ani Avetisyan and Ismi Aghayev discuss the latest ...
Dec 09, 2022•24 min
Dustin Gilbreath, a non-resident senior fellow at CRRC Georgia, talks about the prevalence of HIV in Georgia and the stigma surrounding it, and a CRRC Georgia study that suggested that incentivising people to test for HIV and making tests more accessible can encourage more young people to self-test. Read more: Datablog | Nudging Georgians to self-test for HIV Bahruz Samadov, a researcher at Charles University in Prague, discusses the future of the Nakhchivan exclave’s autonomous status within Az...
Nov 30, 2022•23 min
After Kenya blocked the uprooting and transportation of eight baobab trees to former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili's Shekvetili Dendrological Park, the Guardian’s East Africa global development correspondent Caroline Kimeu talks about the significance of the trees and how Ivanishvili’s contractor secured the license to uproot them. Read more: Kenya blocks export of baobab trees to Georgia citing ‘irregularities’ Yerevan-based political analyst talks about the significance and the o...
Nov 24, 2022•20 min
In this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, Samir Sultanov, the general secretary of the Azerbaijani Democracy 1918 movement, talks about the arrest of several members of his group and labour movements in Azerbaijan. Read more: Azerbaijani pro-democracy activist arrested Chair of Azerbaijani democracy group given prison sentence following anti-government posts Voices of dissent: Azerbaijan reacts to war Mariam Nikuradze revisits the village of Itkhvisi in Chiatura seven months after the settl...
Nov 16, 2022•23 min
In this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, Tor, a fighter from the Chechen Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion fighting in Ukraine, phones in to talk about the significance of Ukraine's recognition of Ichkeria as an independent state temporarily occupied by Russia. Read more: Ukrainian Parliament recognises independence of Chechnya Yerevan-based political analyst talks about Nagorno-Karabakh's internal politics and the appointment of Russian–Armenian billionaire Ruben Vardanyan as State Minister of t...
Nov 09, 2022•20 min
In this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, Anna Edgar talks to Svetlana Anokhina, a women's right activist from Daghestan, about the recent escape of four young Daghestani women from a life of domestic abuse in their home republic. Read more: Four Daghestani women flee to Georgia citing domestic abuse Ani Avetisyan talks about the tripartite meeting between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia in Sochi, and the mass demonstration that took place in Stepanakert over the weekend. Read more: Thousa...
Nov 02, 2022•20 min
In this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, Anna Edgar talks to Pink Armenia's communications director, Mamikon Hovsepyan, about the suicide of a young queer couple in Armenia. Mariam Nikuradze talks about the high-profile domestic abuse case that saw star Georgian tennis player Nikoloz Basilashvili acquitted of charges of violence against his wife and the precedent it might set for similar cases in the future. Read more: Georgian tennis star Nikoloz Basilashvili cleared of abusing ex-wife Be...
Oct 26, 2022•20 min
In this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, Robin Fabbro talks to Yerevan-based political analyst Tigran Grigoryan about Armenia's relations with the CSTO after the two-day war with Azerbaijan in September. Read more: Opinion | Russia’s shifting interests are leaving Armenia out to dry Opinion | Armenia’s old allies have failed it, new ones have yet to appear Tata Shoshiashvili talks about an accident that took the life of a 13-year-old girl and injured two other children following the reopen...
Oct 19, 2022•20 min
In this week’s episode of the Caucasus Digest, Robin Fabbro talks to Bulat Khalilov and Timur Kodzoko, independent researchers from Nalchik and the founders of Ored Recordings, about the discrimination North Caucasians have experienced attempting to cross the Georgian border. Read More: ‘A humiliating experience’: 4 days in limbo on the Georgian–Russian border Violence and arrests as anti-war protests hit Russia’s North Caucasus Salome Khvedelidze talks about femicide in Georgia, and what the co...
Oct 12, 2022•21 min
