A line of Violations
18:28, February 18, 2013 | Press Release | Electoral RightsThe violations recorded by HCA Vanadzor office within 12:00-16:00 p.m. time period.
Restriction of observers’ right to freedom of movement at precincts
The observers’ right to freedom of movement was restricted at # 30/01 precinct: specifically Valeri Jaghinyan, one of the Commission members rudely reprimanded the Organization’s observer in a high key by blaming the latter in looking at the Commission Chairman’s documents standing near the fireproof case, whereas the observer with his back to the fireproof case was attempting to bypass the table of Commission Chairman and the Secretary to approach the table of other Commission members, when the observer inquired from the Chairman whether he also thought the latter was violating the election order at that point. In response the Chairman replied, “I haven’t noticed such a thing, in case I notice I will intervene, in your shoes, I wouldn’t speak back to the Commission member, and regarding the Commission member you hint, I know who and what to say.”
Impeding freedom of expression of voters’ will /cases of directing voters
- Right opposite the # 30/11 և 30/12 precincts there are 2 young men standing. One of them is directing the voters by stating the following in particular, “You know that number 6, don’t you?”
- A minivan with 0696 Լ state number is transporting citizens to # 29/18 precinct.
- Citizens are being transported to # 29/27 precinct by cars.
- A white “Niva” car with 13LO 902 state number regularly transports voters to #29/29 precinct.
Overcrowding at precincts
- In #32/14 precinct, at 14:01p.m. more than 40 voters were at the same time present at the precinct center.
- In #29/27 precinct, at 12:18p.m. the observer pointed out the fact that more than 30 voters were periodically present in the precinct center, noted the situation was tense and out of control.
Presence of unauthorized persons at precinct center
- The village Mayor’s son with 2 police officials, who were not authorized to be present there, were present in the voting room of #40/33 precinct.
- Some citizen was constantly going in and out by offering his help at #31/25 precinct. The Commission members were also displeased with this fact.
Violations of Voting Order
- As of 14:00p.m. the number of voters was not announced #32/14 precinct.
- A voter helped another citizen in need of help at # 32/56 precinct, but their data were not registered.
Other Violations
- There are a number of unsigned passport data as well as signatures without passport data in the voters’ list at #32/14 precinct, the observer also noticed that the same signature in the voters’ lists was repeated for several times.
- At 15:44 p.m. Commission member Gohar Qachakulyan signed in front of passport data of 3 citizens in the voters’ list later other Commission members Emma Balayan, Sonik Markosyan, Victoria Markosyan and Gihar Margaryan each signed in front of passport data of over 3 citizens in the voters’ list at #32/14 precinct.
- Over 5-10 ballots had been previously removed from their stubs at #30/01, 30/06, 30/31 precincts and before the observer managed to approach, the Chairman at #30/01 instructed the Commission member to hide them, but the observer approached and offered the Chairman to prevent such a violation.
- A citizen voted on part of his mother at 32/05 precinct, the violation was pointed out by Gevorg Qotanjyan, the proxy of RA Presidential candidate Raffi Hovhannisian, who drew the attention of the Commission Chairman to it, but the latter refused to compile a protocol over it.
It is worth noting that pressures were exerted against the Organization’s observers for voicing about the violations recorded in some of the precincts previously posted by the Organization: an attempt to restrict their freedom of movement was made in the precinct area, in one of the precincts the Commission member even threatened by the following phrase, “nonetheless, the elections will be over”.