INVESTIGATORS FIND EVIDENCE TO SUE ELECTION COMMISSION CHAIRMAN

ARMENPRESS
April 2, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 2, ARMENPRESS: Prosecutors from the special
investigative service of the Office of the Prosecutor-General said
they ended inquiry into a criminal case involving the chairman of
a polling station in Yerevan who is facing charges of rigging the
results of last month’s presidential election.

Sona Truzian, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Prosecutor-General,
said to Armenpress that investigators found ample evidence proving
that Seyran Mkrtumian, chairman of a precinct commission in Yerevan’s
Erebuni district, stole the envelope with 146 ballots cast in favor
of ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosian after a recount procedure.

The incident occurred on February 23. The recount was watched by
proxies of candidates, journalists and international observers.

She said the recount showed that 151 ballots cast in favor of Levon
Ter-Petrosian were put into the envelope that contained ballots cast
in favor of Serzh Sarkisian. She said the man also falsified the
protocol to cover the crime.

She said Mkrtumian pleaded guilty. The case was sent to a court
for trial.