Tweet
DECISION 2013: CEC ANNOUNCEMENT MET WITH OBJECTION BY OPPOSITION CANDIDATES/HCA
VOTE 2013 | 19.02.13 | 14:47
Photolure
Artur Sakunts By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN ArmeniaNow reporter
Following the Central Election Commission's official announcement
proclaiming the re-election Monday of President Serzh Sargsyan,
opposition candidates and human-rights groups are contesting the
legitimacy of the vote in which Sargsyan has claimed some 57 percent.
Runner-up and leader of Heritage Party, Raffi Hovannisian, is himself
claiming victory, despite the CEC's tally that saw him get about
36 percent of votes. Further, candidate Hrant Bagratyan (about 2
percent in the official count) is claiming that Sargsyan "stole"
votes that otherwise would have gone to Bagratyan (who officially
got around 30,000).
In a speech around midnight Monday, Hovannisian said that "for the
first time in two decades the people have won" and urged Sargsyan
to accept the people's wishes, further adding that "whoever distorts
the voice of the Armenian nation and Armenia will be held accountable".
Early this morning Helsinki Citizen's Association Vanadzor office
leader Artur Sakunts - his organization visited 50 polling stations
with 16 mobile groups observing the elections - stated that not only
the election processes were violated, but the election results have
been forged.
"From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. there was a large stream of voters, the
turnout was high as compared to the parliamentary elections. Crowded
masses were a perfect opportunity for election bribes. There were
'posts' outside the polling stations from where people were able
to coordinate outflow of information on absent voters. It was with
their help that the bribing or 'encouraging' was carried out. When
there was a special vehicle, voters who had cast their ballots were
eager to approach, offer a greeting, etc," says Bakunts (alleging
that voters were collecting bribe promises).
Sakunts also said that his office sent seven written violation reports
to the police and CEC, but received no responses.
CEC chairman Tigran Mukuchyan stated that the commission received no
written complaint, and all the hotline calls about violations were
considered and analyzed.
According to the information released by the Prosecutor General's
office, 72 violation reports were acted upon, 50 among them were the
result of the Prosecutor General's office's monitoring of mass media,
and five were hotline calls. Two criminal cases have been filed for
attempted double-voting and voting in place of another person. One
case has been sent to the Special Investigation Service, the other
calls are being examined at the police.
The Ombudsman's office statement says the entire burden of public
distrust towards the election results lies on the police, and
that untrustworthy work of the police would mar all the positive
achievements of these elections.
From: Baghdasarian
VOTE 2013 | 19.02.13 | 14:47
Photolure
Artur Sakunts By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN ArmeniaNow reporter
Following the Central Election Commission's official announcement
proclaiming the re-election Monday of President Serzh Sargsyan,
opposition candidates and human-rights groups are contesting the
legitimacy of the vote in which Sargsyan has claimed some 57 percent.
Runner-up and leader of Heritage Party, Raffi Hovannisian, is himself
claiming victory, despite the CEC's tally that saw him get about
36 percent of votes. Further, candidate Hrant Bagratyan (about 2
percent in the official count) is claiming that Sargsyan "stole"
votes that otherwise would have gone to Bagratyan (who officially
got around 30,000).
In a speech around midnight Monday, Hovannisian said that "for the
first time in two decades the people have won" and urged Sargsyan
to accept the people's wishes, further adding that "whoever distorts
the voice of the Armenian nation and Armenia will be held accountable".
Early this morning Helsinki Citizen's Association Vanadzor office
leader Artur Sakunts - his organization visited 50 polling stations
with 16 mobile groups observing the elections - stated that not only
the election processes were violated, but the election results have
been forged.
"From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. there was a large stream of voters, the
turnout was high as compared to the parliamentary elections. Crowded
masses were a perfect opportunity for election bribes. There were
'posts' outside the polling stations from where people were able
to coordinate outflow of information on absent voters. It was with
their help that the bribing or 'encouraging' was carried out. When
there was a special vehicle, voters who had cast their ballots were
eager to approach, offer a greeting, etc," says Bakunts (alleging
that voters were collecting bribe promises).
Sakunts also said that his office sent seven written violation reports
to the police and CEC, but received no responses.
CEC chairman Tigran Mukuchyan stated that the commission received no
written complaint, and all the hotline calls about violations were
considered and analyzed.
According to the information released by the Prosecutor General's
office, 72 violation reports were acted upon, 50 among them were the
result of the Prosecutor General's office's monitoring of mass media,
and five were hotline calls. Two criminal cases have been filed for
attempted double-voting and voting in place of another person. One
case has been sent to the Special Investigation Service, the other
calls are being examined at the police.
The Ombudsman's office statement says the entire burden of public
distrust towards the election results lies on the police, and
that untrustworthy work of the police would mar all the positive
achievements of these elections.
From: Baghdasarian