POLICE REFUSES TO PROBE INTO ALLEGED ELECTION VIOLATIONS

Armenpress
May 08 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS: Armenian prosecutors said today they
refused to start an inquiry into a newspaper report claiming that
police officers were visiting residents of a quarter in Yerevan to
force them to join the governing Republican Party and vote for it on
May 12 parliamentary elections.

The report was published by Aravot daily and quoted Heghine Bisharian
from the opposition Orinats Yerkir as making these allegations.

Prosecutors said they refused to start investigation because
Mrs. Bisharian refused to cooperate with law-enforcement bodies
and provide exact information, even after she was asked for it by
prosecutors.

A statement by the prosecutor’s office said a prosecutor of Yerevan
Davidashen and Achapnyak district H. Melik-Sarkisian telephoned
Mrs. Bisharian to ask for specific information for starting inquiry
into the allegations, but she said she did not know more than the
report said.

Heads of condominiums in the quarter also denied having any report
from residents which would support Mrs. Bisharian’s allegations.