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ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER DECLARES HUNGER STRIKE
news.am
January 15, 2013 | 12:21
YEREVAN. - Armenian presidential nominee, political scientist Andreas
Ghukasyan issued a letter, which is addressed to the Central Electoral
Commission Chairman Tigran Mukuchyan, in connection with holding free
elections in the country.
"Even though Armenia's Electoral Code does not specify that the
presidential elections need to be free, they need to be such in order
to be real. [And] Since the state's international commitments to
hold free and real elections are not clearly specified by the law,
this right of the citizenry is not guaranteed.
The party in power [that is, the Republican Party (RPA)] is abusing
its position within the state, and it is not a conscientious competitor
toward other participants in the elections.
I find that the body politic's right to freedom of choice can solely
be exercised in the case of excluding the ruling party candidate's
[that is, RPA leader and incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan's]
running in the election.
If the ruling party candidate's registration is not declared null and
void before the start of the [election] campaign, I will consider my
and the public's right to vote to be violated. My civic duty dictates
me to declare an indefinite hunger strike to defend this right,"
presidential nominee Andreas Ghukasyan's letter reads in particular.
news.am
January 15, 2013 | 12:21
YEREVAN. - Armenian presidential nominee, political scientist Andreas
Ghukasyan issued a letter, which is addressed to the Central Electoral
Commission Chairman Tigran Mukuchyan, in connection with holding free
elections in the country.
"Even though Armenia's Electoral Code does not specify that the
presidential elections need to be free, they need to be such in order
to be real. [And] Since the state's international commitments to
hold free and real elections are not clearly specified by the law,
this right of the citizenry is not guaranteed.
The party in power [that is, the Republican Party (RPA)] is abusing
its position within the state, and it is not a conscientious competitor
toward other participants in the elections.
I find that the body politic's right to freedom of choice can solely
be exercised in the case of excluding the ruling party candidate's
[that is, RPA leader and incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan's]
running in the election.
If the ruling party candidate's registration is not declared null and
void before the start of the [election] campaign, I will consider my
and the public's right to vote to be violated. My civic duty dictates
me to declare an indefinite hunger strike to defend this right,"
presidential nominee Andreas Ghukasyan's letter reads in particular.