Are Passport Data collected? Government Authorities set up a Hot-line while Observers are Surprised
14:21, February 1, 2013 | News | Electoral Rights
The condemnation statement issued by Serzh Sargsyan’s central election headquarters regarding rumors over citizens’ alleged passport data collection at educational institutions and workplaces is considered “a lame trick to disclaim responsibility from the Republicans’ side” by organizations conducting observation mission.
Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office notes that the Republican Party can declare its condemnation, “But aren’t all kindergartens, schools, and educational institutions owned by them? All of their heads belong to the Republican party.”
“And nobody can independently take up any step there without their bosses’ approval, for instance, organize parent assemblies, collect passport data and etc. It will be a big lie to say that anyone can do such a thing without an approval from high ranks”, Sakunts told in an interview with “Medialab”. He states that via this manner Armenian Republican Party is attempting to show that free and fair elections are expected head of us.
“It is simply served on a tray that free and fair elections will be held and the Republican Party is trying to show that it is indeed going to happen. It is a very lame trick to shirk responsibility”, says Sakunts by adding that the observation surveys conducted by his organization show that numerous cases on abuse of administrative resources have been recorded so far.
It should be noted that today the press-service of candidate of RA President Serzh Sargsyan issued a statement by making a reference to the problem of passport data collection from citizens in their workplaces for the upcoming elections which is periodically highlighted by the Mass Media.
“Serzh Sargsyan’s central election headquarters, being determined in the proper organization and holding of the electoral process, states that it strictly condemns any such intuitive, believing that such activities (if reports correspond to reality) undermine citizens’ confidence in the electoral process and besmirch the electoral process” is said in a statement.
It is also noted in the statement that the central election headquarters pledged to pursue any alerts over each case and to take legal measures. To this effect, a toll-free hotline at 010 56-42-97 is available in Sargsyan’s central campaign headquarters office.
Earlier, Styopa Safaryan, the Secretary General of the “Heritage” Party, had also voiced alerts about passport data collection. According to him, parent gatherings are held in various schools and kindergartens of the Republic, while in a variety of other establishments and institutions meetings with the working personnel along with students and faculty staff are convened where passport copies are collected.
“Apart from the issues related to the pupils, students and educational establishments, what else are the directors and rectors talking or are going to discuss is a well known fact to everyone. They also collect passport copies by violating the right to secrecy of personal data. I urge those who are invited to such parents’ gatherings or assemblies, to contact me via internal correspondence or turn to Raffi Hovhannisyan’s election campaign headquarters”, said Safaryan’s statement.
Levon Barseghyan, Chairman of “Asparez” journalists’ club of Gyumri notes with this regard that the Government must always take the responsibility for the revelation, prevention and punishment of unlawful activities, but “if the ARP central election headquarters state their condemnation in this case washing hand of it won’t save the situation.”
“Since the authorities both in the National Assembly and the Government share the Republican Party in our country then merely stating their condemnation won’t easily sneak them out. The government authorities must take measures to locate the initiator of the unlawfulness, reveal and prevent its re-occurrence”, shares Barseghyan to “Medialab”.