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ALTERNATIVE STATEMENT TO OSCE/ODIHR EOM STATEMENT BY THE CITIZENS OF ARMENIA
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/country/view/28991
18:35 19/02/2013
Yerevan, February 19, 2013
The presidential elections which took place yesterday in Armenia, were
a step forward, three steps backward, two steps to right and half step
to the left in comparison with the previous presidential elections,
therefore those were not in line with the Constitution of the Republic
of Armenia, Election Code, as well as with the international standards.
The elections took place no matter that all proposals for amendments
to the election code submitted by the parliamentary opposition were
turned down. In spite of the fact that after the Parliamentary
elections the international and local monitoring organizations,
human rights activists and opposition, highlighted the problems in
voters list, the government took no efforts to meet those concerns
to improve the situation for the presidential elections. In fact,
the parliamentary elections last year and yesterday's presidential
elections were conducted within the same legal basis.
The main oppositional forces in the parliament; Armenian National
Congress, Prosperous Armenia, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Free
Democrats didn't put forward a candidate for the February 18 elections
which shows that the elections were deprived from real competition.
The refusal to take part in the main parties mentioned above
highlights the luck of trust from the citizens towards the election
processes. Therefore those oppositional forces have called these
elections A SHOW well ahead of time, as the ruling party in majority in
parliament failed to discuss and accept the amendments in the election
code submitted by those parties. Though the freedom of expression
was seems to be respected during the campaign, including the right
of free movement, the campaign in fact set unequal conditions for
competition, favoring the governmental candidate. The latter used all
administrative resources, put pressure on state employees, those were
forced leave their work and to attend the events of Serzh Sargsyan,
the incumbent president, as well as to campaign for him.
The Campaign was not peaceful. There was an attempt to shot of the
candidates, Paruyr Hayrikyan. Other candidate went on hunger strike
for the whole duration of the campaign. Violence continued Election
Day as well. The campaign was also famous as the candidates were
expressively using low culture, using terms and techniques not typical
to politicians. So the expressions used by the governmental candidate,
Serzh Sargsyan have being widely circulated in social networks thus
making the opinion of citizens towards elections even less serious.
On Election Day, the pooling stations were turned into stages holding
performances by citizens. The social networks were full of photos
of invalid ballot papers where the citizens painted various pictures
and in one of the polling stations a voter ate the ballot paper as a
sign of protest. It is interesting to note that the number of invalid
ballots comes third in the results. During the voting we received
many calls from double-voting, ballot staffing, applying "carusel"
technique, distribution of voting bribe, etc.
So, yesterday's presidential elections that took place in Armenia
can be characterized as normal, horrible elections.
Dear political tourists, stop legitimizing fraudulent elections! You
are violating the international mechanisms you set yourselves.
"Bekum" democracy support centre" public organisation and group
of activists
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/country/view/28991
18:35 19/02/2013
Yerevan, February 19, 2013
The presidential elections which took place yesterday in Armenia, were
a step forward, three steps backward, two steps to right and half step
to the left in comparison with the previous presidential elections,
therefore those were not in line with the Constitution of the Republic
of Armenia, Election Code, as well as with the international standards.
The elections took place no matter that all proposals for amendments
to the election code submitted by the parliamentary opposition were
turned down. In spite of the fact that after the Parliamentary
elections the international and local monitoring organizations,
human rights activists and opposition, highlighted the problems in
voters list, the government took no efforts to meet those concerns
to improve the situation for the presidential elections. In fact,
the parliamentary elections last year and yesterday's presidential
elections were conducted within the same legal basis.
The main oppositional forces in the parliament; Armenian National
Congress, Prosperous Armenia, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Free
Democrats didn't put forward a candidate for the February 18 elections
which shows that the elections were deprived from real competition.
The refusal to take part in the main parties mentioned above
highlights the luck of trust from the citizens towards the election
processes. Therefore those oppositional forces have called these
elections A SHOW well ahead of time, as the ruling party in majority in
parliament failed to discuss and accept the amendments in the election
code submitted by those parties. Though the freedom of expression
was seems to be respected during the campaign, including the right
of free movement, the campaign in fact set unequal conditions for
competition, favoring the governmental candidate. The latter used all
administrative resources, put pressure on state employees, those were
forced leave their work and to attend the events of Serzh Sargsyan,
the incumbent president, as well as to campaign for him.
The Campaign was not peaceful. There was an attempt to shot of the
candidates, Paruyr Hayrikyan. Other candidate went on hunger strike
for the whole duration of the campaign. Violence continued Election
Day as well. The campaign was also famous as the candidates were
expressively using low culture, using terms and techniques not typical
to politicians. So the expressions used by the governmental candidate,
Serzh Sargsyan have being widely circulated in social networks thus
making the opinion of citizens towards elections even less serious.
On Election Day, the pooling stations were turned into stages holding
performances by citizens. The social networks were full of photos
of invalid ballot papers where the citizens painted various pictures
and in one of the polling stations a voter ate the ballot paper as a
sign of protest. It is interesting to note that the number of invalid
ballots comes third in the results. During the voting we received
many calls from double-voting, ballot staffing, applying "carusel"
technique, distribution of voting bribe, etc.
So, yesterday's presidential elections that took place in Armenia
can be characterized as normal, horrible elections.
Dear political tourists, stop legitimizing fraudulent elections! You
are violating the international mechanisms you set yourselves.
"Bekum" democracy support centre" public organisation and group
of activists
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress