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HOVANNISIAN BEGINS HUNGER STRIKE
http://asbarez.com/108720/hovannisian-begins-hunger-strike/
Monday, March 11th, 2013
ARF's Lilit Galstian visits Hovannisian at Liberty Square where he
is on a hunger strike
He says "Over my Dead Body" will Sarkisian be inaugurated on April 9
YEREVAN-Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian just said at a barevolution
rally on Freedom Square in Yerevan that Serzh Sarkisian will be sworn
in as president "over my dead body," adding that he will start a
hunger strike on the square.
"I am starting a hunger strike. I will not eat, and I will not accept
deception and threats from anyone," Hovannisian said.
"If on April 9, Sarkisian takes his fake oath on the Holy Bible,
and if the Catholicos desecrates the Bible and blesses the candidate
[Sarkisian] who mocks the people, then that will happen over my dead
body," he said.
Until April 9, Sarkisian should accept the demand of the overwhelming
majority of the population, recognize the victory of the people,
and resign, noted Hovannisian.
Hovannisian also demanded the resignation of all governors. Having
appealed to the Constitutional Court to present its verdict on the
presidential election, he added, "If the Constitutional Court does
not correct its path, we will say goodbye to them too, and we will
create our own court on the square."
Constitutional Court Opens Hearings on Hovannisian's Appeal Armenia's
Constitutional Court on Monday opened hearings on Hovannisian's
appeal against official results of Armenia's February 18 presidential
election.
Hovannisian's representatives presented the court with a 16-page
document containing purported evidence of widespread fraud.
The document contains not only instances of alleged violations but also
claims that Sarkisian exceeded the legal limit on campaign spending
set at 100 million drams ($245,000). It also faults the authorities
for refusing to publish the lists of Armenians who went to the polls
on February 18 and thus disprove opposition allegations that scores
of fake ballots marked for Sarkisian were cast on behalf of Armenians
absent from the country, reported RFE/RL.
"The official results of elections held amid public distrust, a
widespread sense that their outcome is predetermined and numerous
systematic irregularities are not credible and not accepted by the
public," Karen Mezhlumian, a legal counselor to Hovannisian, said in
his opening remarks.
The Constitutional Court judges pressed the opposition representatives
to demonstrate documentary evidence of fraud. One of them, Felix
Tokhian, challenged Mezhlumian to explain why very few election
commission members appointed by the Hovannisian campaign formally
protested against the official results in their respective communities.
"I know that you had more than 1,000 proxies and about 1,900 commission
members. How many of them complained and tried to counter [alleged
fraud] in a manner defined by law?" he asked.
The court is due to hand down a verdict on the appeal by Friday.
Hovannisian Denies Claims of President's Invitation to Talks
Hovannisian strongly denied claims that Sarkisian's office invited
the opposition leader to talks.
Panorama.am quoted the president's press secretary Armen Arxumanian as
saying that Sarkisian's chief of staff reached out to Hovannisian and
invited him to talks with the president over Armenia's post-election
situation.
"Lies and deceit from the [presidential] palace are continuing,"
Hovannisian told RFE/RL's Armenian service. "Either they will change
course or things will be bad for all of us."
"They are deliberately spreading disinformation. As I have said
for many times, I am waiting for Mr. Sarkisian to come here at his
convenience and address this issue face to face," he added.
"We note with regret Mr. Hovannisian's refusal to examine all
outstanding issues comprehensively and in detail," said Arzumanian.
"We can only hope that Mr. Hovannisian has correctly evaluated the
situation and is soberly conscious of dangers stemming from the de
facto rejection of dialogue."
"The official results of elections held amid public distrust, a
widespread sense that their outcome is predetermined and numerous
systematic irregularities are not credible and not accepted by the
public," Karen Mezhlumian, a legal counselor to Hovannisian, said in
his opening remarks.
The Constitutional Court judges pressed the opposition representatives
to demonstrate documentary evidence of fraud. One of them, Felix
Tokhian, challenged Mezhlumian to explain why very few election
commission members appointed by the Hovannisian campaign formally
protested against the official results in their respective communities.
"I know that you had more than 1,000 proxies and about 1,900 commission
members. How many of them complained and tried to counter [alleged
fraud] in a manner defined by law?" he asked.
"The Constitutional Court as well as other courts cannot make decisions
on the basis of presumptions," Tokhian added after hearing no clear
answer.
The court is due to hand down a verdict on the appeal by Friday.
From: Baghdasarian
http://asbarez.com/108720/hovannisian-begins-hunger-strike/
Monday, March 11th, 2013
ARF's Lilit Galstian visits Hovannisian at Liberty Square where he
is on a hunger strike
He says "Over my Dead Body" will Sarkisian be inaugurated on April 9
YEREVAN-Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian just said at a barevolution
rally on Freedom Square in Yerevan that Serzh Sarkisian will be sworn
in as president "over my dead body," adding that he will start a
hunger strike on the square.
"I am starting a hunger strike. I will not eat, and I will not accept
deception and threats from anyone," Hovannisian said.
"If on April 9, Sarkisian takes his fake oath on the Holy Bible,
and if the Catholicos desecrates the Bible and blesses the candidate
[Sarkisian] who mocks the people, then that will happen over my dead
body," he said.
Until April 9, Sarkisian should accept the demand of the overwhelming
majority of the population, recognize the victory of the people,
and resign, noted Hovannisian.
Hovannisian also demanded the resignation of all governors. Having
appealed to the Constitutional Court to present its verdict on the
presidential election, he added, "If the Constitutional Court does
not correct its path, we will say goodbye to them too, and we will
create our own court on the square."
Constitutional Court Opens Hearings on Hovannisian's Appeal Armenia's
Constitutional Court on Monday opened hearings on Hovannisian's
appeal against official results of Armenia's February 18 presidential
election.
Hovannisian's representatives presented the court with a 16-page
document containing purported evidence of widespread fraud.
The document contains not only instances of alleged violations but also
claims that Sarkisian exceeded the legal limit on campaign spending
set at 100 million drams ($245,000). It also faults the authorities
for refusing to publish the lists of Armenians who went to the polls
on February 18 and thus disprove opposition allegations that scores
of fake ballots marked for Sarkisian were cast on behalf of Armenians
absent from the country, reported RFE/RL.
"The official results of elections held amid public distrust, a
widespread sense that their outcome is predetermined and numerous
systematic irregularities are not credible and not accepted by the
public," Karen Mezhlumian, a legal counselor to Hovannisian, said in
his opening remarks.
The Constitutional Court judges pressed the opposition representatives
to demonstrate documentary evidence of fraud. One of them, Felix
Tokhian, challenged Mezhlumian to explain why very few election
commission members appointed by the Hovannisian campaign formally
protested against the official results in their respective communities.
"I know that you had more than 1,000 proxies and about 1,900 commission
members. How many of them complained and tried to counter [alleged
fraud] in a manner defined by law?" he asked.
The court is due to hand down a verdict on the appeal by Friday.
Hovannisian Denies Claims of President's Invitation to Talks
Hovannisian strongly denied claims that Sarkisian's office invited
the opposition leader to talks.
Panorama.am quoted the president's press secretary Armen Arxumanian as
saying that Sarkisian's chief of staff reached out to Hovannisian and
invited him to talks with the president over Armenia's post-election
situation.
"Lies and deceit from the [presidential] palace are continuing,"
Hovannisian told RFE/RL's Armenian service. "Either they will change
course or things will be bad for all of us."
"They are deliberately spreading disinformation. As I have said
for many times, I am waiting for Mr. Sarkisian to come here at his
convenience and address this issue face to face," he added.
"We note with regret Mr. Hovannisian's refusal to examine all
outstanding issues comprehensively and in detail," said Arzumanian.
"We can only hope that Mr. Hovannisian has correctly evaluated the
situation and is soberly conscious of dangers stemming from the de
facto rejection of dialogue."
"The official results of elections held amid public distrust, a
widespread sense that their outcome is predetermined and numerous
systematic irregularities are not credible and not accepted by the
public," Karen Mezhlumian, a legal counselor to Hovannisian, said in
his opening remarks.
The Constitutional Court judges pressed the opposition representatives
to demonstrate documentary evidence of fraud. One of them, Felix
Tokhian, challenged Mezhlumian to explain why very few election
commission members appointed by the Hovannisian campaign formally
protested against the official results in their respective communities.
"I know that you had more than 1,000 proxies and about 1,900 commission
members. How many of them complained and tried to counter [alleged
fraud] in a manner defined by law?" he asked.
"The Constitutional Court as well as other courts cannot make decisions
on the basis of presumptions," Tokhian added after hearing no clear
answer.
The court is due to hand down a verdict on the appeal by Friday.
From: Baghdasarian