ANTHONY GODFREY: FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS ARE ARMENIA’S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.02.2007 14:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On February 27, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia began
a three-day seminar on "Election Fraud and Related Corruption,
International Standards, and Criminal Procedure Issues." The Press
Office of American Embassy told the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist that
approximately 70 representatives of the Armenian Police, Prosecutor
General’s Office, Central Election Commission, Territorial Election
Commission, Ombudsman’s Office, and First Instance and Review courts
are participating in the seminar series. "Free and fair elections
are not only a political commitment expressed by the Government
of Armenia, but also an international legal obligation for Armenia
under the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the
European Court in Strasbourg. Election fraud undermines the social
and political framework of a country," during the opening session,
U.S. Charge d’Affaires Anthony F. Godfrey remarked.
As a follow up to the three-day seminar, the U.S. Mission will send
six prosecutors and two Central Election Commission members to the
United States for additional training.