Azerbaijani opposition activist and politician Tofig Yagublu, sentenced to nine years, has gone on a hunger strike to protest his placement in solitary confinement. His daughter believes this is the authorities' retaliation for a protest her brother, Rahim, held outside the hotel where Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was staying in Washington.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated the need for a change in the political elite after the 2026 parliamentary elections. He believes that those who held leadership positions in the past and kept the country in a state of stagnation should no longer be involved in political life.
Pashinyan also noted that the public is tired of debates between "former" and "current" government officials, which, he said, often deviate from the bounds of constructive political discussion. He emphasized the importance of establishing norms of mutual respect in political discussions and rejecting aggressive rhetoric and abuse.
In this context, the prime minister noted ironically: "If you say that I was also involved in this, you'd be right. That's why I go to church on Sundays for absolution."