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Armenian Bar Association to President Sargsyan: `Give Armenia's
citizens free and fair elections'
http://hetq.am/eng/news/22954/armenian-bar-association-to-president-sargsyan--%E2%80%9Cgive-armenia%E2%80%99s-citizens-free-and-fair-elections%E2%80%9D.html
14:14, February 2, 2013
Garo B. Ghazarian, Chairman of the Armenian Bar Association, sent the
following letter to RA President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan, urging them to ensure free and fair presidential
election on February 18.
On February 18, 2013, the Republic of Armenia will hold its fourth
presidential election since its 1991 independence.
Having Armenia's best interests 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 Paruyr
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
opposition and ruling adherents, these types of flaws 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 Armenia'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 socio-economic spectrums, in service to our One
Nation and One People.
citizens free and fair elections'
http://hetq.am/eng/news/22954/armenian-bar-association-to-president-sargsyan--%E2%80%9Cgive-armenia%E2%80%99s-citizens-free-and-fair-elections%E2%80%9D.html
14:14, February 2, 2013
Garo B. Ghazarian, Chairman of the Armenian Bar Association, sent the
following letter to RA President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan, urging them to ensure free and fair presidential
election on February 18.
On February 18, 2013, the Republic of Armenia will hold its fourth
presidential election since its 1991 independence.
Having Armenia's best interests 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 Paruyr
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
opposition and ruling adherents, these types of flaws 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 Armenia'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 socio-economic spectrums, in service to our One
Nation and One People.