CIVILNET

Life by Syunik’s mighty mountain

For the past eight years, Hayk Barseghyan has been living right above Vachagan village in Syunik. His home is near Mount Khustup, in a place called Pskhu Khut. As a photographer always in search of beauty, he discovered this area and has been bringing it to life through his lens. Near his home, Hayk is building a “Gitatachar”, meaning “knowledge shrine”. He means to turn it into a sanctuary for learning, open to all. Watch CivilNet’s video from Khustup.The photographs by Hayk BarseghyanMusic byKatil - AknKatil - HoskHayk Pijoyan - EpisodeHayk Pijoyan - Old CarpetHogh - ErkanqHogh - Paron BanjarHogh, Arthur Aleq - Ernek Hayrik Muradyan - Bari lusoThe film includes excerpts from the movie Zori Miro.

A Christmas wish list for Armenia

In this special year-end episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian shares his Christmas wish list for Armenia in 2026: from peace and security to better governance, institutions, and public discourse. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian

Democracy Watch | 2025: A Year of Democratic Backsliding in Armenia

By Tigran Grigoryan The year 2025 proved to be deeply troubling for Armenia’s democratic development. Over the course of the year, a series of negative developments and entrenched trends cast serious doubt on the prospects for democratic consolidation in the country. Equally alarming were the growing questions about society’s capacity to resist increasingly overt anti-democratic practices. Throughout 2025, Democracy Watch [https://www.civilnet.am/en/democracy-watch/] consistently sought to draw attention to these developments. Taken together, the evidence allows for a clear and sobering conclusion: 2025 was a year of democratic backsliding for Armenia. One of the most consequential shifts of the year was the completed transformation of Armenia’s ruling party. The political force that came to power in 2018 on the wave of the Velvet Revolution, promising democratic reforms and a break with post-Soviet governance practices, has now fully evolved into a classic post-Soviet administrative resource party. The dominant feature of 2025 was the systematic use of state resources, law enforcement bodies, and the judicial system by the ruling party for domestic political purposes.

Trump Route: On the Ground in Armenia’s South

What does the planned “Trump Route” actually look like on the ground?CivilNet’s team travels to Armenia’s southern Syunik region to explore the local realities behind the TRIPP initiative — the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity — announced in Washington in August.From abandoned railways in Kapan and Meghri to the Armenia–Iran border at Agarak, this short film follows Eric Hacopian as he examines how geopolitics, infrastructure, and daily life intersect in a region marked by constant security concerns.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

Government defends takeover of Electric Networks of Armenian: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS

📍 A company linked to Khachatur Sukiasyan, a pro-government Armenian tycoon, is among the buyers of an Azerbaijani fuel shipment, RFE/RL’s Armenian service reported.📍 Armenia could take back control of some sections of its railroads, currently operated by Russia under a 30-year concession deal, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.📍 Speaking with CivilNet, Babken Tunyan, a leading pro-government lawmaker, defended the government's takeover of Electric Networks of Armenia, a major utility company.📍 Full interview with Babken Tunyan (in Armenian): https://shorturl.at/W1tWX#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #civilnetbusiness