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ABA to Sargsyan: `Give Armenia's citizens free and fair elections'

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  • ABA to Sargsyan: `Give Armenia's citizens free and fair elections'

    Armenian Bar Association to President Sargsyan: `Give Armenia's
    citizens free and fair elections'

    http://hetq.am/eng/news/22954/armenian-bar-association-to-president-sargsyan--%E2%80%9Cgive-armenia%E2%80%99s-citizens-free-and-fair-elections%E2%80%9D.html
    14:14, February 2, 2013

    Garo B. Ghazarian, Chairman of the Armenian Bar Association, sent the
    following letter to RA President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister
    Tigran Sargsyan, urging them to ensure free and fair presidential
    election on February 18.

    On February 18, 2013, the Republic of Armenia will hold its fourth
    presidential election since its 1991 independence.

    Having Armenia's best interests in mind and holding to a deep belief
    in certain universal and inalienable rights, among which is the
    people's right to self-governance through a representative and
    legitimate political system, I appeal to you, Mr. President and Mr.
    Prime Minister, to deliver to the Armenian citizenry its
    constitutional right to free, fair and democratic elections.

    We call on you, Mr. President, to see to it that the tragic and
    abhorrent shooting incident involving presidential candidate Paruyr
    Hayrikyan is fully investigated, the culprits brought to justice, and
    that no efforts be spared to secure the safety of all presidential
    candidates.

    We welcome President Sargsyan's repeated commitments before the
    Armenian people and the international community to hold the `best
    elections since 1991.' We concur with President Sargsyan's
    characterization that free, fair and democratic elections are vital
    for Armenia's national security and its ability to prosper.

    Since the beginning of the presidential campaign period, we have
    observed -- through press reports, videos and records of eyewitness
    accounts - apparent improper pressures exerted on members of the public
    and private sectors compelling them to fall in line, in the absence of
    free will, and to join in artifices of support, if not to submit to
    candidate-specific vote-casting directives, in favor of the incumbent
    Executive leadership.

    As has previously been widely reported and accepted in part, both by
    opposition and ruling adherents, these types of flaws have negatively
    marked every Armenian election since 1991. While we appreciate the
    current administration's commitments, made and announced before its
    people and the international community, to ensure that the campaign
    process will be evenhanded and that the election results will be free
    from manipulation, the specter of past irregularities continues to
    resonate today in the current election climate and landscape.

    We respectfully request that you publicly and clearly instruct and
    hold accountable all officials and others responsible for organizing,
    supporting and conducting the upcoming presidential election in a
    fair, free and democratic manner with the requisite checks and
    balances. These instructions should unequivocally prohibit
    irregularities and illegal acts, and the appearances of them, which
    can only serve to bring discredit and illegitimacy to all of Armenia's
    other laudable and positive achievements.

    We look forward to working with Armenia's freely-elected President, as
    well as with all those in different places along Armenia's political,
    professional, and socio-economic spectrums, in service to our One
    Nation and One People.

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