Armenian Interior Minister warns crime statistics are exploited for political

Elizabeth Jabejian

Law12:04, 20 March 2026
Read the article in: Armenian:

Crime statistics have recently been frequently exploited for political purposes, distorting public perceptions of internal security, Armenian Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan warned on Friday.

She made the remarks at a parliamentary defense and security committee hearing on her ministry’s 2025 performance report under the government’s 2021-2026 program.

The minister emphasized that security has always been and remains a key agenda topic.

“Security is a matter of concern for all of us, and it is no coincidence that both internal and external security are constantly addressed and discussed. I would like to particularly warn that crime statistics in recent periods have especially often been exploited as a tool for political manipulation, even becoming a topic in pre-election debates and undermining internal security stability,” Sargsyan said.

She noted that the public is often presented with an exaggerated picture of crime, while law enforcement agencies act based on real data, guided by the goal of ensuring citizen safety.

The minister also addressed criticisms of law enforcement work, noting that such critiques often intensify during election periods and correspond both to the logic of hybrid threats and to international experience.

Sargsyan recalled that the Government Program includes institutional reforms in the police system, including the formation of the Police Guard and the introduction of new preventive tools.

“With care and diligence, we both record new developments and pursue solutions to other issues that we ourselves have identified, being closer to the sector,” the minister said.

Read the article in: Armenian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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Armenpress: Hittler faces Zielinski as French town’s election contest goes vir

Maral Takmazian

World17:27, 19 March 2026
Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

A small French town has won instant internet fame because its mayor – running for re-election in Sunday’s municipal elections – goes by the name of Hittler, the BBC reported.

Furthermore, one of his two opponents is called Zielinski.

“It has gone completely crazy,” lamented Charles Hittler, mayor of Arcis-sur-Aube (population 2,785), when contacted by the BBC.

“All my life I’ve had the occasional joke made about my name. Sometimes people drew moustaches on my election posters. It was never a big deal.

“But now it’s out of control. I’ve seen online articles saying ‘37% of the people of Arcis are Hitlerites!’. My wife is in tears.”

French social media has been inundated with “humorous” posts about the battle between two individuals whose names resemble those of the late Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Hittler says the attention is getting too much.

“If people were talking about the town and our policies, that would be one thing. But all they’re interested in is our names,” he said, according to the BBC. 

So how did this retired French laboratory head come to be called Hittler? And why hasn’t he changed his name?

“My family comes from northern Alsace [along the German border], and my father was a shepherd. In the war he was taken to Germany in their forced labour programme,” Hittler said.

“After he came back he met my mother. Everyone said, ‘You’ve got to change your name.’ This was 1949. The war was a recent memory But it was a huge administrative headache and it would have cost a lot of money, so they didn’t.”

There are only a few of his tribe left in France, he says. His Hittler cousins in Alsace all had girls, so the name is disappearing there. One of his sons pronounces the name “Hit-lay”, in order to escape embarrassment, and his grandchildren have taken their mothers’ names.

But he says he has a Hittler daughter and a Hittler daughter-in-law who are also running to be councillors in the municipal elections, in other towns in France.

While Charles Hittler leads a centre-right list in Arcis-sur-Aube, his Zielinski opponent is in the far-right Patriot movement. In national elections, the far-right National Rally performs strongly in this area, about 160km (100 miles) southeast of Paris.

Antoine Renault-Zielinski, 28, is a customs officer recently arrived in Arcis. The second part of his name comes from his Polish mother.

“People are often asking me if I am related to Zelensky – to which I have to answer no, pointing out that the Polish name ends in an ‘i’ and the Ukrainian in a ‘y’,” he told BFMTV.

Sunday’s run-off in Arcis-sur-Aube pits Hittler against Renault-Zielinski and a third candidate, Annie Soucat. In the first round Hittler led by a small margin over the other two.

Hitler was a relatively rare name in Germany even before the dictator came to fame. Since World War Two it has all but disappeared, according to the BBC.

Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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By holding Karekin II hostage and forbidding him from leaving for Tbilisi, thi

Emil Lazarian
Aysor, Armenia
Mar 20 2026

The Chairman of the Pan-Armenian Council for the Preservation of the Armenian Church, Harutyun Agha-Sargsyan, has issued a statement regarding the denial by the authorities of Armenia of the opportunity for the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, to travel to Tbilisi and attend the funeral of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II.

“This is the bottom. The authorities of the day have demonstrated the most absurd degree of their vindictiveness and moral degradation. By effectively holding the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, hostage and forbidding him from traveling to Tbilisi to bid his final farewell to the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, this regime proves that it is completely devoid of any sanctity.

This is petty and cowardly hooliganism. When the state apparatus cannot restrain its anger even in the face of death, mourning, and a final farewell, we are dealing not with a government, but with a national disgrace.

This is an affront to the dignity of our state. By depriving the Patriarch of All Armenians of the opportunity to attend the funeral of his spiritual brother, you are not humiliating His Holiness – you are turning Armenia into a laughing stock, showing the world that our country is ruled by people who do not care about centuries-old Armenian-Georgian relations.

This is blatant blasphemy. Where normal people remain silent and bow their heads, you are building your petty, obsessive barriers. This is an encroachment not only on church order, but also on basic human morality.

We strongly demand that you immediately and without legal tricks lift this shameful ban against the Catholicos. Your hostile and destructive campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church has crossed all boundaries. Come to your senses. Whoever remains silent and tolerates this disgrace today becomes an accomplice in this spiritual terror carried out at the state level.

You are not attacking the Church – you are exposing your own moral bankruptcy, fear, and pettiness. Your actions evoke nothing but disgust and pity,” the statement reads.

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No Azerbaijani position built on the sovereign territory of Armenia – Suren Pa

Torgomian Varazdat
Aysor, Armenia
Mar 20 2026

The Minister of Defense of Armenia, Suren Papikyan, has stated that since 2021, Azerbaijan has not built any military positions on Armenia’s sovereign territory.

“No, it has not,” the minister said in response to a journalist’s question.

Papikyan reiterated that no Azerbaijani position has been constructed on the sovereign territory of Armenia.
“No position has been built on the territory of Armenia. The Ministry of Defense of Armenia has issued an official statement. Azerbaijan is building on its own territory, and we are building on ours as well,” he said.

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The government threatens its own people with war on a daily basis – Tigran

Yeghisabet Arthur
Aysor, Armenia
Mar 20 2026

Tigran Abrahamyan, a deputy of the National Assembly from the I Have Honor faction, wrote: “The government threatens its own people with war on a daily basis.

They have turned blackmail into a tool for intimidating and subjugating people, and every second word is about war.

With the propaganda and justification of war, one force is operating in the Republic of Armenia – the ruling regime, which feeds on and operates according to the logic of war.”

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Gohar Meloyan: Ban on Catholicos Karekin II’s travel to Georgia will negative

Emil Lazarian
Aysor, Armenia
Mar 20 2026

Gohar Meloyan, a member of the Strong Armenia party, writes: “My deepest condolences to my Georgian friends on the passing of His Holiness Ilia II, whose spiritual legacy transcends all borders. His earthly departure is a profound loss for the entire Christian world.

The relations between the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and the Georgian Orthodox Church have a centuries-old history. They have consistently been one of the key pillars of Armenian-Georgian brotherly ties, founded on mutual respect, shared Christian values, and a common historical experience.

These relations have often accompanied and strengthened the friendship between the two peoples, preserving a spirit of dialogue and cooperation even during the most challenging periods.

If His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, decides to attend the funeral ceremony of Georgian Patriarch Ilia II, such a visit would not only serve as an _expression_ of respect and brotherhood, but also convey an important message aimed at further strengthening Armenian-Georgian ecclesiastical and interstate relations.

Any obstacle or impediment along this path could negatively affect the international standing of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, as well as harm the brotherly relations between Armenians and Georgians and the centuries-old ties established between the two Churches.”

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‘Changing Armenia’s constitution is our decision, not others’,’ Pashinyan say

Kalantarian Kevo
JAM News
Mar 19 2026
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Discussions on changing Armenia’s constitution serve Armenia’s own interests, not those of other countries, Nikol Pashinyan told journalists. During his weekly briefing, the Armenian prime minister made it clear that this is strictly an internal matter.

Baku has called for amendments to Armenia’s constitution as a precondition for signing a peace treaty. Azerbaijani officials argue that the current text contains territorial claims. The constitution itself does not include statements that directly support such concerns. However, it refers to the Declaration of Independence, which mentions the unification of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

“We have not discussed this issue with any external force, we are not discussing it, and we will not discuss it. We are discussing it with our people,” Pashinyan said.

During the briefing, the prime minister also spoke about the parliamentary elections scheduled for June this year, the expectations and intentions of opposition candidates, and the possible consequences if the ruling party loses.

Key points from the briefing.

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‘The Declaration of Independence is a declaration of conflict‘

“The issue of the Declaration of Independence and the constitution is our internal matter, because we — not others — must define how we position ourselves in the world,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

He argued that Armenia’s Declaration of Independence is not a declaration of independence, but a declaration of conflict and dependence.

“Imagine you move into a new apartment. You live on the same landing and threaten neighbours across from you, to the side and on the other side, while declaring your independence. What does that mean? How will you live in such an environment under those threats?”

Pashinyan said one could live in such conditions only by expecting outside support. That, in turn, would lead to “ever-increasing dependence” on whoever provides that support.

To support his argument that constitutional changes are necessary for Armenia itself, he also used an analogy about traffic rules.

“If we keep getting hit [by cars], we should ask ourselves: maybe the problem is that we are on the road and do not understand traffic rules, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights?”

‘They want to run a stronghold, not a state‘

Pashinyan spoke at length about the parliamentary elections scheduled for this summer. He said that if forces advocating a “revision of peace” win, a new war with serious consequences could follow. In his view, the risks include not only territorial losses but also a loss of sovereignty.

“All these forces essentially act from a position of revising peace. That means an inevitable war. It would happen soon after the elections — at most, by the autumn.”

Pashinyan said some of these political forces “do not understand what they are saying, because the texts are written elsewhere”, while they act as “readers”. He did not specify which groups he meant. However, his examples suggested he was referring, among others, to Samvel Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia party.

“I saw the phrase ‘strong peace’ in the news feed. Before that, I read headlines like ‘Forgive us, Artsakh… we will do this and that’. All this reflects a desire to revise peace. Any attempt to revise peace means war.”

Asked why opposition forces would want a war, Pashinyan replied:

“War would bring them the following: they would run a stronghold, not a state, because experience shows this is financially beneficial for them.”

The prime minister also said that all three forces advocating a “revision of peace” hold billion-dollar assets in Russia and Belarus.

“They have been told: if you want to keep these assets, work, sweat, run, do 30 push-ups. They will not manage it.”

Pashinyan appeared to be referring to:

former Armenian president and leader of the Armenia bloc, Robert Kocharyan,

Strong Armenia leader Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian businessman who is under house arrest in Armenia on charges linked to calls to seize power,

and Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan, a major Armenian businessman with active business interests in Belarus.

The prime minister said the ruling Civil Contract party aims to secure a constitutional majority in the elections. He said this would allow his team to guarantee the “irreversibility” of the peace process.

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Armenia Politics Doc ‘The Winning Generation’ Aims To Connect With Diaspora V

Karakhanian Suren
Deadline
Mar 20 2026

EXCLUSIVE: Armenia politics documentary The Winning Generation will simultaneously world premiere at the Netherlands’ Movies that Matter Film Festival and launch on the White Rabbit streaming platform this weekend.

The work follows the trajectory of rising Armenian politician Shahen Harutyunyan from 14-year-old activist to emerging political leader, as he follows in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in Armenia’s long struggle for independence.

Along the way, he transforms their tradition of resistance into a new democratic vision, with the creation of the grassroots “Winning Generation” movement, which has since morphed into the Shant Alliance party.

The documentary’s launch comes at a pivotal moment for Harutyunyan and Armenia as the country gears up for national elections on June 7 2026. Having previously secured a significant regional victory in Kapan, Harutyunyan is running for office against a backdrop of political instability and strong Russian influence, as he redefines what a new generation’s fight for freedom could look like.

The Winning Generation is directed by Italian, Netherlands-based filmmaker Marco De Stefanis. He has worked on numerous productions for broadcasters including Rai, Mediaset, Discovery Channel, and History Channel, while his first feature documentary Waiting for Giraffes was selected for IDFA and CPH:DOX.

“Shahen’s story is more than a personal story; it is a portrait of a country striving to define its future. As Shahen says in the film, ‘Freedom is much easier to achieve than to maintain’, a sentiment that resonates far beyond Armenia, highlighting the fragility of democracy worldwide,” said De Stefanis.

The new feature is an Amsterdam-based BIND production in coproduction with EiE film, supported by Netherlands Film Fund, Netherlands Film Production Incentive, Italian Ministry of Culture, Film Commission Torino Piemonte and Regione Piemonte.

“Given the urgency of upcoming elections and timeliness of the subject, we wanted to make the film immediately accessible to audiences worldwide,” said BIND producer Joram Willink.

“Partnering with White Rabbit was the perfect way to achieve that, allowing us to implement a new distribution model for a socially relevant story and ensure viewers everywhere can engage with it immediately after its world premiere.”

The doc’s launch on the White Rabbit streaming platform will target Armenian diaspora communities, in places such as L.A., France, Canada, Buenos Aires, Georgia, and Ukraine – alongside politically engaged young audiences.

“The Winning Generation is exactly the kind of film that can show why audiences matter more. For too long, the film industry has treated audiences as passive consumers rather than active supporters of the stories they believe in,” said White Rabbit CEO and founder Alan R. Milligan.

“White Rabbit empowers audiences and influencers to participate directly in a film’s journey, enabling them to share their experience with friends, communities, and networks. Cinema and festival audiences become the engine of discovery, helping important stories travel beyond the theater, and far beyond the limitations of algorithms.”

The human rights and social justice-focused Movies that Matter Film Festival runs from March 20 to 28 in the Dutch capital of The Hague.

Watch a trailer for the film below.

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Binghamton oil painter honors Armenian culture through art

Alex Nanijanian
Binghamton Homepage
Mar 20 2026
Binghamton oil painter honors Armenian culture through art
Samantha Rich

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – The Broome County Arts Council is supporting a Binghamton-based oil painter this month as she works to keep the spirit and the stories of the Armenian people alive.

Jacqueline Kachadourian is the Arts Council’s Artist in Residence for the month of March.

Kachadourian studied painting and theatre at Binghamton University. While she was earning her degree, she researched the history of the Armenian people.

Through the use of both abstract expressionism and representational imagery, Kachadourian reflects Armenian culture, its people, and the hardships they’ve faced.

The collection she is working on now focuses on landscapes from Artsakh, a land where Armenian people once lived, but was taken over by Azerbaijan in 2023.

Being of Armenian descent herself, Kachadourian says both sides of her family have experienced genocide firsthand. She says it’s an honor to be able to share her art and heritage with the community.

“Being able to share those stories through my paintings is really important because a lot of times, not many people know about the Armenian genocide, and most recently, the displacement of people in Artsakh. I doubt anyone knows about that. It’s so unfortunate and very heartbreaking, and I think having a chance to talk about it through my paintings is one of the most important things I can do,” said Kachadourian.

The Artist in Residence program provides individuals with 24-hour access to studio space in downtown Binghamton. At the end of their given month, they will be able to showcase the art they’ve created at their own First Friday show.

Kachadourian’s show will take place on April 3 from 6 to 9 and April 4 from 11 to 3.

The Arts Council is seeking artists for its next round of the program. Applications can be found by clicking here.

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Cairo: Ola Abdel Monem Explores Armenian Identity in New Novel

Emil Lazarian
Sada El-Balad, Egypt
Mar 20 2026

Fri 20 Mar 2026 | 11:42 AM
Israa Farhan

Egyptian writer Ola Abdel Monem presents a powerful exploration of identity, memory, and survival in her latest novel “Taghribat Al-Duduk” (2026), offering a human-centered perspective on the Armenian experience across generations.

In an interview with The Armenian Mirror-Spectator in the United States, Abdel Monem outlined her vision of Armenians not as victims, but as survivors who have managed to preserve their identity despite historical trauma.

“For me, Armenians are not victims, but survivors,” she said.

The novel follows an Armenian family that fled the Armenian genocide and settled in Egypt, tracing their journey through four generations while examining questions of belonging and cultural continuity.

Abdel Monem explained that each generation reflects a different stage of identity formation. “My characters start as pure Armenians, carrying sorrow and longing for the past,” she noted, adding that later generations gradually integrate while maintaining ties to their heritage.

“Finally, the fourth generation is hybrid… they journey through it until the very end, carrying both memory and hope,” she added, describing a recurring cycle of exile and return.

The duduk, a traditional Armenian musical instrument, serves as a central symbol in the novel, representing sorrow and memory. At the same time, Abdel Monem pointed to Armenian resilience and global success as symbols of joy and pride.

“I believe that the success of Armenians in preserving their identity… can serve as a symbol of joy,” she said.

Originally from Assiut, Abdel Monem began writing at an early age and rose to prominence after winning the El Sawy Culturewheel Short Story Award in 2013. Her interest in Armenian history developed through early exposure to Egyptian artists of Armenian descent, later deepening through research into the Armenian genocide.

The novel received a strong reception at the Cairo International Book Fair, particularly among readers interested in history and cultural identity.

“What made me even happier was the positive response from the Armenian community in Egypt,” she said, noting plans to organize a future cultural event with the community.

Abdel Monem also expressed hope that the book will be translated into multiple languages, especially Armenian, to reach a broader international audience.

“I hope it will be translated… so that the story reaches everyone and they can understand how their ancestors survived against all odds,” she said.

Through “Taghribat Al-Duduk”, Abdel Monem delivers a broader message about resilience, emphasizing that memory can be a source of strength and that identity can evolve without being lost. 

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