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ACCORDING TO HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST AVETIK ISHKHANIAN, TRADITION OF ELECTIONS ACCOMPANIED BY RIGGINGS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=117999
Oc t 8, 2008
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. During the latest local
self-government elections the observers of Helsinki Committee of
Armenia witnessed many violations and acts of violence. Committee
Chairman Avetik Ishkhanian reported at the October 8 press
conference. He said that the most obvious acts of violence were
recorded during the elections of Kentron prefect when proxies of the
opposition candidate were just forced out of some polling stations. And
the Committee recalled its observers from Noragyugh polling station
due to the aggravated situation.
Besides the above mentioned violations, Committee's 55 observers
recorded cases of control over voting, guiding voters, as well as
observed social workers voting instead of pensioners. There were
representatives of the Police inside the polling stations, part of
which took part in the process of counting the votes. There were
cases when two or three voters were simultaneously near a voting
cabin. According to A. Ishkhanian, cases of open voting, voting
with another person's passport, and voting without a passport were
also recorded.
According to the observation of the head of Helsinki Committee,
use of voting cabins without curtains should be stopped henceforth,
as other people control a voter near the ballot-boxes and instruct
him what to do. "It is my only proposal to improve the electoral
process. However, in general, I already do not know how to liquidate
the tradition of elections accompanied by riggings and to come out
of this closed circle," A. Ishkhanian said.
Noyan Tapan
http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=117999
Oc t 8, 2008
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. During the latest local
self-government elections the observers of Helsinki Committee of
Armenia witnessed many violations and acts of violence. Committee
Chairman Avetik Ishkhanian reported at the October 8 press
conference. He said that the most obvious acts of violence were
recorded during the elections of Kentron prefect when proxies of the
opposition candidate were just forced out of some polling stations. And
the Committee recalled its observers from Noragyugh polling station
due to the aggravated situation.
Besides the above mentioned violations, Committee's 55 observers
recorded cases of control over voting, guiding voters, as well as
observed social workers voting instead of pensioners. There were
representatives of the Police inside the polling stations, part of
which took part in the process of counting the votes. There were
cases when two or three voters were simultaneously near a voting
cabin. According to A. Ishkhanian, cases of open voting, voting
with another person's passport, and voting without a passport were
also recorded.
According to the observation of the head of Helsinki Committee,
use of voting cabins without curtains should be stopped henceforth,
as other people control a voter near the ballot-boxes and instruct
him what to do. "It is my only proposal to improve the electoral
process. However, in general, I already do not know how to liquidate
the tradition of elections accompanied by riggings and to come out
of this closed circle," A. Ishkhanian said.