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VOTE 2013: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST SAYS VOTING RIGHTS OF SEVERAL GROUPS VIOLATED IN ARMENIA
VOTE 2013 | 12.02.13 | 16:05
Hovhannes Kocharyan, Artur Sakunts
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Civil society representatives as well as representatives of parties
involved in the electoral processes consider that the voting rights
of a number of groups are being violated in Armenia.
During a discussion organized in Yerevan on Tuesday Helsinki Citizens'
Assembly Vanadzor Office head Artur Sakunts, in particular, spoke
about violations of the rights of arrested persons, citizens living
abroad and serving in the armed forces.
According to Sakunts, detainees and soldiers do not have access to the
programs and booklets of all candidates, while among the candidates
only the incumbent president actually can go to military units for
campaigning purposes. "But the army elects not only the president,
but also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief [of the Armed Forces], so
they should be able to learn about the programs of all potential
candidates," said Sakunts.
Speaking about the problem of Armenian citizens residing abroad and
having no right to take part in the national elections (they have
not been eligible to vote since 2003), Sakunts said that the state
must organize their balloting.
"Speaking about those living abroad they say they have no right
to take them out of the electoral roll, because they continue to
enjoy suffrage. But if they do, then be so kind as to ensure they
can properly exercise their right. Otherwise it is illogical," said
the leading human rights activist.
Opposition candidates have repeatedly raised the issue of removing the
names of citizens permanently absent from the country from the voting
lists. For years the Armenian opposition has accused the government
of using up to half a million votes of such people to rig elections.
But head of the passport and visa department of the Police Hovhannes
Kocharyan dismissed such demands as ungrounded, saying that technically
it is impossible to take the data of the absent citizens from the
voter lists (as such data can be obtained only by means of a personal
search engine) and also because Armenia's legislation prohibits the
publication of such data.
"It is a totally unreasonable and illegal demand made to the police:
personal data can be spread only if the law authorizes a state body
and an official to disseminate such information. Otherwise, it is
unlawful to disseminate such information as it constitutes an offense,"
said Kocharyan.
"I wonder how many voters in Armenia would want their being absent
from Armenia to become information that is in the public domain? Isn't
it an instance of persecution against a person?" the official queried.
VOTE 2013 | 12.02.13 | 16:05
Hovhannes Kocharyan, Artur Sakunts
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Civil society representatives as well as representatives of parties
involved in the electoral processes consider that the voting rights
of a number of groups are being violated in Armenia.
During a discussion organized in Yerevan on Tuesday Helsinki Citizens'
Assembly Vanadzor Office head Artur Sakunts, in particular, spoke
about violations of the rights of arrested persons, citizens living
abroad and serving in the armed forces.
According to Sakunts, detainees and soldiers do not have access to the
programs and booklets of all candidates, while among the candidates
only the incumbent president actually can go to military units for
campaigning purposes. "But the army elects not only the president,
but also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief [of the Armed Forces], so
they should be able to learn about the programs of all potential
candidates," said Sakunts.
Speaking about the problem of Armenian citizens residing abroad and
having no right to take part in the national elections (they have
not been eligible to vote since 2003), Sakunts said that the state
must organize their balloting.
"Speaking about those living abroad they say they have no right
to take them out of the electoral roll, because they continue to
enjoy suffrage. But if they do, then be so kind as to ensure they
can properly exercise their right. Otherwise it is illogical," said
the leading human rights activist.
Opposition candidates have repeatedly raised the issue of removing the
names of citizens permanently absent from the country from the voting
lists. For years the Armenian opposition has accused the government
of using up to half a million votes of such people to rig elections.
But head of the passport and visa department of the Police Hovhannes
Kocharyan dismissed such demands as ungrounded, saying that technically
it is impossible to take the data of the absent citizens from the
voter lists (as such data can be obtained only by means of a personal
search engine) and also because Armenia's legislation prohibits the
publication of such data.
"It is a totally unreasonable and illegal demand made to the police:
personal data can be spread only if the law authorizes a state body
and an official to disseminate such information. Otherwise, it is
unlawful to disseminate such information as it constitutes an offense,"
said Kocharyan.
"I wonder how many voters in Armenia would want their being absent
from Armenia to become information that is in the public domain? Isn't
it an instance of persecution against a person?" the official queried.