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Anti-Corruption Group Urges Diasporans to Observe Yerevan Municipal Elections
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/03/23/anti-corruption-group-urges-diasporans-to-observe-yerevan-municipal-elections/
March 23, 2013
The following is an open letter by Transparency International
Anticorruption Center, urging Armenians in the Diaspora to act as
election observers in future elections in Armenia, starting with the
May 2013 municipal election in Yerevan.
On election day, observers as well as voters witnessed gross
violations such as ballot stuffing, multiple voting on behalf of
absent citizens, and falsification of results in many of the precincts
around Armenia. (Photo: The Armenian Weekly)
On Feb. 18, 2013, the presidential elections demonstrated the Armenian
people's distrust towards authorities and the pressing demand for
change. Elections, as usual, were accompanied by gross violations
organized by the authorities. During the entire span of the
pre-election campaign, voters faced suppression, threats, abuse of
administrative resources, and vote buying. On election day, observers
as well as voters witnessed gross violations such as ballot stuffing,
multiple voting on behalf of absent citizens, and falsification of
results in many of the precincts around Armenia. Most local electoral
commission members were completely integrated into the falsification
process, while many proxies of oppositional candidates were either
intimidated or engaged in the deal with the ruling regime.
On election day, many violations were detected, prevented, and
reported by independent civil society organizations throughout the
country. One of the witnesses of the crudest violation was 21-year-old
Narine Esmaeili, a U.S. citizen and participant of the Birthright
Armenia program. Narine interns at Transparency International
Anticorruption Center and acted as an observer within the observation
mission of Europe in Law Association in precinct 17/05 in the town of
Artashat. Narine was directly assaulted when she tried to prevent and
record mass ballot stuffing, whereas a group of 25-30 men stormed the
polling station, grabbed her arms and pinned her against the wall.
With assistance from the secretary of the local electoral commission,
the band stuffed 400-500 ballots, significantly affecting the results
in favor of the incumbent president. In other precincts the ballot
stuffing process was smoother and less violent, with the employment of
tricks such as temporary isolation of observers. In the aftermath of
such countrywide violations, 60.18 percent of eligible voters
`participated' in the elections, out of which 58.64 percent `voted'
for incumbent Serge Sarkisian, as reported by official sources.
Following the elections, a criminal proceeding was launched by the
Special Investigative Service of Armenia (SIS). However, instead of
trying to reveal and condemn the crime, the SIS intended to conceal
the facts. The investigator in charge of the case was aggressive,
attempting to put psychological pressure on Narine for her to change
her testimony. Even the head of the SIS violently interfered in the
process of interrogation, seizing the tape recorder and preventing
Narine's attorney from collecting evidence on the unlawfulness of the
proceeding. Later, SIS representatives continued to use scare tactics
and intimidation to ensure Narine and her lawyers from the Europe in
Law Association and Transparency International Anticorruption Center
recant their call for justice and recognition of electoral fraud.
Narine's participation in the observation of elections and her high
moral and solid stance for the defense of the integrity of the
electoral process made a significant difference in Armenia. Violations
at precinct 17/05 were recognized by the Constitutional Court and the
election results of that precinct (and only that precinct) were
annulled, which marked a small but important step towards the
realization of the dream of building a democratic state. Her courage
and sense of civic duty attracted the attention of many, and
spotlighted the problem of election fraud and the reluctance of the
authorities to eradicate violations.
Elections in Armenia are constantly distorted, which in turn affect
general democratic processes, foster corruption and emigration, and
risk the country's national security and statehood. There is a need
for increased active engagement by civil society in the promotion and
oversight of electoral processes. There is also the need for
engagement of both our citizens as well as our co-patriots around the
globe, who care about the future of Armenia.
We are calling upon Armenians throughout the world, as well as the
Disaporan organizations to encourage and actively participate in
Armenia's future elections - at both national and local levels. We
believe that Narine's experience, when multiplied, will accelerate
Armenia's progression along the continuum of democracy. By witnessing,
voicing concern, and protecting the truth, these observers will help
the democratization of Armenia, while extending the scope of their
feelings beyond the recognition of genocide.
As a first step, we are calling all active Armenians and Diaspora
organizations to join the efforts of local Armenian non-governmental
organizations in observing the Yerevan City elections to be held in
May 2013.
For more information about participation in the observation mission,
please contact Transparency International Anticorruption Center at
[email protected] before April 10, 2013.
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/03/23/anti-corruption-group-urges-diasporans-to-observe-yerevan-municipal-elections/
March 23, 2013
The following is an open letter by Transparency International
Anticorruption Center, urging Armenians in the Diaspora to act as
election observers in future elections in Armenia, starting with the
May 2013 municipal election in Yerevan.
On election day, observers as well as voters witnessed gross
violations such as ballot stuffing, multiple voting on behalf of
absent citizens, and falsification of results in many of the precincts
around Armenia. (Photo: The Armenian Weekly)
On Feb. 18, 2013, the presidential elections demonstrated the Armenian
people's distrust towards authorities and the pressing demand for
change. Elections, as usual, were accompanied by gross violations
organized by the authorities. During the entire span of the
pre-election campaign, voters faced suppression, threats, abuse of
administrative resources, and vote buying. On election day, observers
as well as voters witnessed gross violations such as ballot stuffing,
multiple voting on behalf of absent citizens, and falsification of
results in many of the precincts around Armenia. Most local electoral
commission members were completely integrated into the falsification
process, while many proxies of oppositional candidates were either
intimidated or engaged in the deal with the ruling regime.
On election day, many violations were detected, prevented, and
reported by independent civil society organizations throughout the
country. One of the witnesses of the crudest violation was 21-year-old
Narine Esmaeili, a U.S. citizen and participant of the Birthright
Armenia program. Narine interns at Transparency International
Anticorruption Center and acted as an observer within the observation
mission of Europe in Law Association in precinct 17/05 in the town of
Artashat. Narine was directly assaulted when she tried to prevent and
record mass ballot stuffing, whereas a group of 25-30 men stormed the
polling station, grabbed her arms and pinned her against the wall.
With assistance from the secretary of the local electoral commission,
the band stuffed 400-500 ballots, significantly affecting the results
in favor of the incumbent president. In other precincts the ballot
stuffing process was smoother and less violent, with the employment of
tricks such as temporary isolation of observers. In the aftermath of
such countrywide violations, 60.18 percent of eligible voters
`participated' in the elections, out of which 58.64 percent `voted'
for incumbent Serge Sarkisian, as reported by official sources.
Following the elections, a criminal proceeding was launched by the
Special Investigative Service of Armenia (SIS). However, instead of
trying to reveal and condemn the crime, the SIS intended to conceal
the facts. The investigator in charge of the case was aggressive,
attempting to put psychological pressure on Narine for her to change
her testimony. Even the head of the SIS violently interfered in the
process of interrogation, seizing the tape recorder and preventing
Narine's attorney from collecting evidence on the unlawfulness of the
proceeding. Later, SIS representatives continued to use scare tactics
and intimidation to ensure Narine and her lawyers from the Europe in
Law Association and Transparency International Anticorruption Center
recant their call for justice and recognition of electoral fraud.
Narine's participation in the observation of elections and her high
moral and solid stance for the defense of the integrity of the
electoral process made a significant difference in Armenia. Violations
at precinct 17/05 were recognized by the Constitutional Court and the
election results of that precinct (and only that precinct) were
annulled, which marked a small but important step towards the
realization of the dream of building a democratic state. Her courage
and sense of civic duty attracted the attention of many, and
spotlighted the problem of election fraud and the reluctance of the
authorities to eradicate violations.
Elections in Armenia are constantly distorted, which in turn affect
general democratic processes, foster corruption and emigration, and
risk the country's national security and statehood. There is a need
for increased active engagement by civil society in the promotion and
oversight of electoral processes. There is also the need for
engagement of both our citizens as well as our co-patriots around the
globe, who care about the future of Armenia.
We are calling upon Armenians throughout the world, as well as the
Disaporan organizations to encourage and actively participate in
Armenia's future elections - at both national and local levels. We
believe that Narine's experience, when multiplied, will accelerate
Armenia's progression along the continuum of democracy. By witnessing,
voicing concern, and protecting the truth, these observers will help
the democratization of Armenia, while extending the scope of their
feelings beyond the recognition of genocide.
As a first step, we are calling all active Armenians and Diaspora
organizations to join the efforts of local Armenian non-governmental
organizations in observing the Yerevan City elections to be held in
May 2013.
For more information about participation in the observation mission,
please contact Transparency International Anticorruption Center at
[email protected] before April 10, 2013.