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OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER
15:30 06/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/society/view/28835
Dear Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister:
On February 18, 2013, the republic of Armenia will hold its fourth
presidential election since its 1991 independence.
Having Armenia's best interest 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 Paruir
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 the opposition and ruling adherents, three types of flows
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 Armenian'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 socioeconomic spectrums, in service to our One
Nation and One People.
Respectfully,
Garo B. Ghazarian
Chairman
Armenian Bar Association
From: Baghdasarian
15:30 06/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/society/view/28835
Dear Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister:
On February 18, 2013, the republic of Armenia will hold its fourth
presidential election since its 1991 independence.
Having Armenia's best interest 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 Paruir
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 the opposition and ruling adherents, three types of flows
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 Armenian'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 socioeconomic spectrums, in service to our One
Nation and One People.
Respectfully,
Garo B. Ghazarian
Chairman
Armenian Bar Association
From: Baghdasarian