ARMENIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BEGINS HEARING CLAIMS OF ELECTION IRREGULARITIES
Arminfo
1 Jun 07
Yerevan, 1 June: The Armenian Constitutional Court has begun to hear
the claims filed by four opposition parties – New Times, the Republic,
Orinats Yerkir [Law-Governed Country Party] and the Impeachment bloc –
who dispute the results of the 12 May parliamentary election.
Constitutional Court chairman Gagik Harutyunyan said that the
combined claim is unprecedented in its scale and takes up over
4,000 pages. The defendant is represented by Justice Minister David
Harutyunyan, Armenian police deputy chief Ararat Mahtesyan, Central
Electoral Commission [CEC] chairman Garegin Azaryan, and CEC lawyer
Nune Hovhannisyan.
There were so many people wishing to attend the hearing that the
Constitutional Court staff issued tickets for the seats.
The hearing began with CEC lawyer Hovhannisyan’s petition to dismiss
the case because Nikol Pashinyan, the editor-in-chief of the Haykakan
Zhamanak newspaper, and another reporter of the same paper, cannot
represent the Impeachment bloc since they are not professional
lawyers. The Constitutional Court chairman replied that they do not
represent themselves but a political force. Hovhannisyan, however,
insisted that her petition be examined. A break was announced in this
regard. After a short break, the court turned down the petition.
The court session is held amid tightened security with a great number
of police officers around the court building. Ministers and MPs are
attending the hearing.