ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Jan 28 2008

Democratic elections in Armenia to enhance law-enforcers’
international reputation

YEREVAN, January 28. /ARKA/. Democratic elections in Armenia will
enhance the international reputation of the country’s law-enforcement
bodies, RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan stated at the
conference `Free and fair elections through application of laws’
attended by judges, public prosecutors, lawyers, journalists and
observers.

`During the forthcoming presidential election, just as during the
parliamentary elections, Armenia’s law-enforcement system will play
an essential role in the organization of fair election. The holding
of elections in conformity with international standards will enhance
the reputation of both Armenia and its law-enforcement bodies,’
Hovsepyan said.

He pointed out that serious problems of Armenia’s law-enforcement
system have recently been resolved. Specifically, the legal
underpinnings have essentially been improved, election processes have
been properly regulated and more severe punishment for the violation
of citizens’ voting right has been envisaged.

According to Hovsepyan, the punishment for the violation of people’s
voting right envisaged by the RA Criminal Code meets international
standards.

The RA Prosecutor General pointed out the formation of a task group
at the RA Prosecutor General’s Office to summarize media reports on
violations in elections. The task group was formed on the threshold
of the parliamentary elections in Armenia.
Hovsepyan pointed out that the group visited the USA and studied the
experience of American specialists. He assured the participants in
the conference that all the signals were taken into account, nd
necessary decisions were made.

`This experience will be applied during the presidential elections,’
he said.

Hovsepyan reported that a task group was formed on January 21, which
group includes the Press Secretary and officers of the RA Prosecutor
General’s Office.

Hovsepyan reported that the group is supposed to coordinate
law-enforcers’ activities, summarize media reports on violations,
introduce a practice of battling violations throughout Armenia.

Hovsepyan pointed out that the group’s reports will be submitted to
him and put on the official website of the RA Prosecutor General’s
Office.

`On the threshold of the elections, the RA Prosecutor General’s
Office introduced the seal `elections’. All the officers of the RA
Prosecutor’s Office receiving documents with this imprint must pay
special attention to the information contained in them,’ Hovsepyan
said.

The presidential election is to be held in Armenia on February 19.

The conference `Free and fair elections through application of laws’
has been organized by the American Bar Association, the Armenian
office of the European Commission and the Elections 2008 initiative.
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