STATUS OF KHACHATUR SUKIASYAN'S CANDIDACY TRANSFERED TO LOCAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION
epress.am
03.21.2012
The Central Election Commission today examined the matter of SIL Group
Co. Ltd. co-owner, former Member of Parliament and current candidate
for the upcoming parliamentary election Khachatur Sukiasyan, as issues
arose related to his candidacy.
Earlier, the RA Police Passport and Visa Department had sent a letter
to the No. 11 electoral commission, where Sukiasyan intends to submit
his candidacy, asking the commission not to accept the certificate
it provided to Sukiasyan which stated that he has been nominated as
a candidate under the majoritarian (single-mandate constituencies)
system.
According to the police, Sukiasyan is ineligible to run in the
elections as he doesn't meet the legal requirement of "permanently
residing in the Republic of Armenia in the past 5 years". The Armenian
police say that Sukiasyan for a long, uninterrupted period lived
outside the country.
Sukiasyan's attorney, Ara Zohrabyan, who was present at today's
discussion, said that if the Central Electoral Commission (CEC)
makes a decision on Sukiasyan's case (whether in favor or against),
this might be viewed as putting pressure on the no. 10 electoral
commission, since it's the local electoral commission that registers
candidates and is authorized to make decisions.
CEC chair Tigran Mukuchyan agreed with the attorney, refusing to make
a decision at this time. The issue will be taken up by the no. 10
electoral commission.
Recall, Sukiasyan, elected as Member of Parliament from the same
district in 2007 and who backed unsuccessful candidate Levon
Ter-Petrossian in the 2008 presidential election, was deprived of
his parliamentary mandates and accused of organizing mass riots in
connection with the events of Mar. 1-2, 2008. Sukiasyan went into
hiding until Sept. 2, 2009, when he voluntarily surrendered to law
enforcement agencies. On Sept. 21, he was permitted to go to Germany
to undergo surgery. Later, Armenia's Special Investigation Service
quashed the case against him on grounds of insufficient evidence.
From: A. Papazian
epress.am
03.21.2012
The Central Election Commission today examined the matter of SIL Group
Co. Ltd. co-owner, former Member of Parliament and current candidate
for the upcoming parliamentary election Khachatur Sukiasyan, as issues
arose related to his candidacy.
Earlier, the RA Police Passport and Visa Department had sent a letter
to the No. 11 electoral commission, where Sukiasyan intends to submit
his candidacy, asking the commission not to accept the certificate
it provided to Sukiasyan which stated that he has been nominated as
a candidate under the majoritarian (single-mandate constituencies)
system.
According to the police, Sukiasyan is ineligible to run in the
elections as he doesn't meet the legal requirement of "permanently
residing in the Republic of Armenia in the past 5 years". The Armenian
police say that Sukiasyan for a long, uninterrupted period lived
outside the country.
Sukiasyan's attorney, Ara Zohrabyan, who was present at today's
discussion, said that if the Central Electoral Commission (CEC)
makes a decision on Sukiasyan's case (whether in favor or against),
this might be viewed as putting pressure on the no. 10 electoral
commission, since it's the local electoral commission that registers
candidates and is authorized to make decisions.
CEC chair Tigran Mukuchyan agreed with the attorney, refusing to make
a decision at this time. The issue will be taken up by the no. 10
electoral commission.
Recall, Sukiasyan, elected as Member of Parliament from the same
district in 2007 and who backed unsuccessful candidate Levon
Ter-Petrossian in the 2008 presidential election, was deprived of
his parliamentary mandates and accused of organizing mass riots in
connection with the events of Mar. 1-2, 2008. Sukiasyan went into
hiding until Sept. 2, 2009, when he voluntarily surrendered to law
enforcement agencies. On Sept. 21, he was permitted to go to Germany
to undergo surgery. Later, Armenia's Special Investigation Service
quashed the case against him on grounds of insufficient evidence.
From: A. Papazian