RA OMBUDSMAN’S INSTITUTION RECEIVES MORE THAN TEN ORAL APPLICATION-COMPLAINTS ON ELECTORAL VIOLATIONS
Noyan Tapan
June 1, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 1, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Ombudsman’s institution received more
than ten oral application-complaints in the May 31 Yerevan Council
of Elders elections that mainly regarded the following issues:
– citizens were transported to polling stations by microbuses for
the purpose of voting and were persuaded to vote for this or that
candidate,
– citizens were moved to Yerevan polling stations by microbuses from
Gyumri, Vanadzor, and other towns for the purpose of voting,
– the principle of voting secrecy was violated at a number of polling
stations due to voting cabins’ improper location,
– reports on hindering journalists’ activity were received, as well
as cases of violence to journalists were recorded.
According to the RA Ombudsman Office Information and Public
Relations Department, the RA Ombudsman is ready to discuss any
application-complaint on electoral violations within its jurisdiction
and calls competent state bodies for carrying out proper checkings
on all violations.
The RA Ombudsman condemns infringements on journalists that became
a regularity in each election. The attack on 168 Zham newspaper’s
correspondent Armine Avetian and Transperency International NGO
observer Sona Ayvazian on May 31 in Malatia-Sebastia community took
place in the presence of the polling station commission chairman and
policemen being at the polling station. The RA Ombudsman calls proper
bodies for undertaking necessary measures to disclose those guilty.