YEREVAN, Armenia — On November 5, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy (MAIRD) program held a discussion of the report titled “The Information Warfare Conducted by Azerbaijan Against the Statehood and Society of Artsakh in 2023.” The report was produced within the project “iResilience: Strengthening Democratic Practices and Media Literacy,” funded by the Swedish Institute․
The discussion featured Dr. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan, professor at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at AUA, Nelly Baghdasryan, lecturer at Yerevan State University, and Gegham Stepanyan, Artsakh’s human rights defender. The speakers focused on Azerbaijan’s information and propaganda campaign against the Armenians of Artsakh, while examining its narrative structures, discourse, and methods of psychological influence. The report notes that while considerable attention has been paid to the geopolitical, social, and humanitarian consequences of the 2023 displacement, the informational dimension of it remains relatively underexplored.
The speakers emphasized that Azerbaijan’s information tactics, refined since the 2020 war, have evolved into a strategy aimed at spreading fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness among the people of Artsakh. They further noted that these methods significantly weakened public resilience and shaped perceptions, ultimately contributing to the forced displacement of the Armenian population from the region. The discussion also included specific examples illustrating these tactics in practice.
“This is the second large-scale report I have helped produce since the 2020 war. This one was particularly challenging given its complexity and implications. However, I hope that the rich material and testimonials included in the report will be useful for students, scholars, and policy practitioners alike,” said Dr. Ter-Matevosyan.
The event concluded with a Q&A session, during which participants in the audience seized the opportunity to expand on various points and seek further elaboration on topics covered by the speakers.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
