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Armenian Government Approves Shorter Military Service Term, Bill Advances to National Assembly
The Armenian government has approved a new bill to reduce the term of mandatory military service from 24 months to 18 months. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting on October 30 and was classified as urgent, meaning the bill will soon be discussed in parliament. According to the government, this change reflects ongoing reforms in the defense system aimed at increasing the share of professional and contract-based service in the Armed Forces. Officials said that in rec
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 30
Garnik Cholakyan Becomes European U23 Weightlifting Champion
The European Youth and Under-23 Weightlifting Championships are continuing in Durrës, Albania, where Armenian athlete Garnik Cholakyan has achieved an impressive victory. Competing in the 60 kg weight category, Cholakyan successfully lifted 115 kg and 120 kg in the snatch event, securing the gold medal. In the clean and jerk event, he again took first place by lifting 140 kg, 145 kg, and 147 kg in his attempts. With a total result of 267 kg, Garnik Cholakyan became the Europe
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 29
Pakistan Says Ties With Armenia Depend on Azerbaijan and Turkey
Pakistan’s Senate Speaker Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that his country’s relations with Armenia depend on how Azerbaijan and Turkey’s relations with Armenia develop. Speaking to APA, Gilani explained that Pakistan is working closely with Azerbaijan and Turkey and that its position toward Armenia will follow theirs. “We [i.e. Pakistan] are cooperating with Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and both countries have agreed to establish good relations with Armenia. Our relations with Armenia
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 29
Armenia’s Aleksandra Grigoryan Wins European Youth Weightlifting Championship
Armenian weightlifter Aleksandra Grigoryan has become the European Youth Champion in the 58 kg category, showing an outstanding performance at the continental event. The 20-year-old athlete lifted a total of 214 kg, earning the top spot on the podium and setting new European records. Grigoryan successfully completed all six of her attempts, a perfect result that few lifters achieve in competition. She won two small gold medals for her results in both the snatch and the clean
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 29
Police Detain Masis Mayor Davit Hambardzumyan Moments After He Steps Off Plane
The opposition mayor of Masis, a small town about 20 kilometers south of Yerevan, has been arrested and sent to prison to serve a six-year sentence. The court decision, issued last week, has been strongly condemned by his Republican Party (HHK), which accuses the Armenian government of political persecution. The Armenian Report’s Ani Khachatryan was at Zvartnots International Airport covering the arrest of Masis Mayor Davit Hambardzumyan tonight. Davit Hambardzumyan, who has
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 28
Pashinyan Joins Defrocked Priest in Unauthorized Liturgy, Escalating Government’s Clash with the Armenian Church
A deepening confrontation between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church erupted again this weekend when Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended an unauthorized liturgy led by a defrocked priest at Hovhannavank Monastery, in open defiance of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The incident followed weeks of growing tension between state authorities and the Church. The conflict began when Father Aram — whose secular name is Stepan Asatryan — publicly attacke
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 27
Hripsime Khurshudyan Awarded International Referee Title by the International Weightlifting Federation
Armenian weightlifter Hripsime Khurshudyan has officially received the title of international referee from the International Weightlifting Federation. The new title allows her to take part as a referee in major tournaments, including European and World Championships, according to the Armenian Weightlifting Federation. This recognition is another important milestone for Khurshudyan, who has represented Armenia with distinction in international competitions for many years. Her
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 27
Armenia’s FM Invites Aliyev and Erdogan to Yerevan for 2026 European Political Community Summit
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan announced that Armenia has invited Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend the European Political Community summit, which will be held in May 2026 in Yerevan. Mirzoyan said the invitation was extended verbally and that the official documents will be sent later. “We have extended the invitations; the documents have not yet been sent, but we have verbally invited [them] to participate at t
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 27
Armenia to Take Part in First Military Weightlifting Tournament in Iran
The Armenian national weightlifting team will travel to Iran to participate in the first-ever international military weightlifting tournament. According to the Armenian Weightlifting Federation, the competition will be held in the Iranian city of Babolsar from November 1 to 6. Armenia’s delegation will include four athletes: Karlen Davtyan (60 kg), Zhora Grigoryan (65 kg), Hovhannes Hovhannisyan (71 kg), and Hovhannes Ghahramanyan (94 kg). The team will be coached by Yervand
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 27
Without the October 27 Parliament Attack, Would Armenia Have Taken Another Political Path?
Today marks 26 years since one of the darkest days in Armenia’s modern history — the October 27, 1999 terrorist attack inside the National Assembly. On that day, a group of armed men entered the parliament during a government question-and-answer session and opened fire. As a result, eight top Armenian officials were killed, including National Assembly Speaker Karen Demirchyan, Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Deputy Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, MPs Armenak Armena
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 27
Yerevan Circus Reborn as Tashir Arena After 15 Years of Closure
A new era has begun in Yerevan’s cultural life with the official opening of Tashir Arena, a modern entertainment complex built on the site of the former Yerevan Circus. The Yerevan Circus, once a beloved landmark for generations, was closed around 15 years ago and demolished in 2012 after it was declared unsafe for renovation. For more than a decade, the site stood empty — a silent reminder of the city’s lost cultural hub. Now, after years of anticipation, the newly construct
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 24
Opposition Prime Minister Nominee Davit Hambardzumyan Sentenced to Over Six Years in Prison
A Yerevan court has sentenced Masis Municipality mayor and opposition nominee for prime minister Davit Hambardzumyan to six years and three months in prison. The verdict, issued by Judge Zhora Chichoyan, concerns an incident that took place during the 2018 Velvet Revolution — the same movement that brought Nikol Pashinyan to power. The ruling also revoked Hambardzumyan’s bail and ordered that he be taken into custody immediately. Armenia’s opposition parties denounced the dec
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 24
Armenia’s Mamikon Khachatryan Wins Silver at World Gymnastics Championships
Armenia continues to shine on the world gymnastics stage, as 19-year-old Mamikon Khachatryan claimed a silver medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Jakarta, Indonesia. The young athlete, who is already a European silver medalist, delivered an impressive performance in the pommel horse final, scoring 14.600 points and earning the title of world vice-champion. Khachatryan shared the same score with China’s Yangmin Yong, who was awarded the gold medal. The
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 24
Lawyers Appeal to UN Over Illegal Detention of Armenian-Lebanese Citizen in Baku
The case of Vicken Euljekjian, an Armenian-Lebanese citizen who has been illegally held in Baku since November 2020, once again reveals the deep injustice faced by Armenians detained in Azerbaijan after the 2020 war over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). His lawyers have appealed to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), demanding his immediate release and drawing global attention to Azerbaijan’s continued violations of international law and human rights. Euljekjian,
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 23
