Videos
Photos
Summary of Violations Recorded by Raffi Hovannisian Campaign Headquarters
Summary of Violations Recorded by Raffi Hovannisian Campaign Headquarters up to 5 February 2013
|
|
Community |
Type of Violation |
Date |
Time |
|
1 |
Aragatsotn Region, Ashtarak Town |
The citizens’ passport data was collected at the electric network building. |
21.01.2013 |
9:30 |
|
2 |
Yerevan, Dormitory in Shengavit District
|
The passports of the citizens were collected and carried away. |
Incident date: 22.01 2013 Notification date: 23.01.2013 |
11:00 |
|
3 |
Yerevan, Malatia-Sebastia District, 33 Raffi Street |
Raffi Hovannisian Election Headquarters representative Susanna Barkhudaryan reported to the police that on Yerevan’s 33 Raffi Street she was being impeded from distributing Raffi Hovannisian’s brochures. She testified to investigators who arrived on the scene.
|
24.01.2013 |
17:25 |
|
4 |
Ararat Region, Vanashen Village |
The head of the village hindered Raffi Hovannisian Campaign Headquarters representatives to affix the candidate’s posters in the village. Headquarters representative H. Noreyan notified the Police on the incident. Later in the day, in a testimony given to the Police, the village head told that the Electoral Code specifies precise areas where the posters can be placed. To note, the mentioned provision of the Code refers only to settlements with 10.000 or more population. |
24.01.2013 |
14:00 |
|
5 |
Vayots Dzor Region, Ketchut Village |
Serzh Sargsyan’s campaign posters are displayed on the windows of the Ketchut community’s Culture House. |
26.01.2013 |
14:00 |
|
6 |
Armavir Region, Argina Village 21/43 Precinct Electoral Commission |
Artavazd Vardgesi Grigoryan is a member of the Council of the village of Argina, and has been appointed as the chief of the Precinct Electoral Commission—operational during the upcoming presidential elections—by the Republican Party of Armenia.
|
29.01.2013 |
14:00 |
|
7 |
Yerevan, Raffi Hovannisian Campaign Headquarters |
On January 29, Raffi Hovannisian’s official website www.raffi4president.am was attacked by hackers. If the source of the first attack dated January 21 did not appear feasible to reveal, this time our specialists managed to find out that the website was hacked by Finnish proxy-servers from Armenia. |
29.01.2013 |
15:10 |
|
8 |
Yerevan, Sari Tagh Neighborhood 8th Building, 35/1
Name: Vardanyan Alina
|
Alina Vardanyan received a call from Territorial Electoral Commission No.13, and was told that her brother—Ruben Vardanyan—is included in a list of the people who must vote for Serzh Sargsyan.
|
29.01.2013 |
11:00 |
|
9 |
Yerevan, 70/1, 70/2, 70/3 Sasuntsi Davit Street |
Dispersion of campaign materials was hindered. The incident was reported to the police hotline.
|
31.01.2013 |
16:10 |
|
10 |
Aragatsotn Region, Aparan Town |
Serzh Sargsyan’s campaign picture is displayed on “Gntunik” market. |
31.01.2013 |
17:00 |
|
11 |
Aragatsotn Region, Aparan Town |
Serzh Sargsyan’s picture with his slogan is posted on the fish shop. Reported by Gevorg Sahakyan.
|
1.02.2013 |
17:00 |
|
12 |
Gegharkunik Region |
Executive Mamikon Sayadyan reports that lecturers of Gavar’s State University had their passport information collected by the university administration.
|
2.02.2013 |
12:00 |
|
13 |
Shirak Region, Artik Town |
Executive Edmon Yeganyan reported that Arsen Abrahamyan, mayor of the town of Artik, is the head of Serzh Sargsyan campaign headquarters. Abrahamyan organizes meetings and collects passport copies. |
2.02.2013 |
13:00
|
|
14 |
Yerevan, 16/16 Shahumyan Street |
Citizen Heghine Simonyan reported that the gas inspector demanded her to provide passport data mentioning that she will be included in the list who will vote for Serzh Sargsyan. After she refused, the inspector turned off the household’s gas supply justifying it on the grounds of existing debt. |
2.02.2013 |
13:00 |
|
15 |
Lori Region, Vanadzor |
During Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Vanadzor, teachers and employees of a number of schools and kindergartens during the workday were obliged by their directors to attend the meeting with Sargsyan. The source preferred to remain anonymous. However, Arthur Sakunts confirmed this information in an interview with Aravot newspaper: http://www.aravot.am/2013/02/05/157953/
|
02.02.2013 |
14:00 |
|
16 |
Yerevan |
Serzh Sargsyan’s picture is posted on the building of the Police. Reported by Daniel Ionnisyan. |
3.02.2013 |
11:00 |
|
17 |
Yerevan |
The posters of Serzh Sargsyan campaign headquarters indicate that they were printed in 300 copies. Reported by Daniel Ionnisyan.
|
3.02.2012 |
11:00 |
|
18 |
Yerevan, 3 Shinararner Street |
Serzh Sargsyan campaign flag is placed behind the shop’s window. |
3.02.2012 |
11:00 |
|
19 |
Yerevan, Arabkir District, 51/3 Arabkir Street |
Anahit Hovhannisyan reported that а person claiming to be the head of the condominium hindered the activities carried out by volunteers. |
4.02.2013 |
14:00 |
|
20 |
Ararat Region, Artashat Town |
Anahit Hovhannisyan reported that the pupils of the local public school were forced to attend a meeting with Serzh Sargsyan. |
4.02.2013 |
14:00 |
|
21 |
Yerevan, Arno Babajanyan Street |
Daniel Ionnisyan reported that there are a number of Serzh Sargsyan campaign posters on Arno Babajanyan Street, larger than six square meters in size (the legal limit).
|
4.02.2013 |
14:30 |
|
22 |
Yerevan, 74 Andranik Street |
Susanna Barkhudaryan reported that she had visited Veteran residence hall, where the officers did not allow the distribution of Heritage campaign materials to the elderly. |
4.02.2013 |
15:00 |
|
23 |
Yerevan, Shirvanzade Public School, on Vagharshyan Street |
In a parent-teacher meeting, the head of the Arabkir district talked about the activities of the incumbent president and urged those present to vote for S. Sargsyan. |
4.02.2013 |
15:00 |
|
24 |
Yerevan, Arabkir District |
Serzh Sargsyan’s picture is posted on the Arabkir condominium. Reported by Anahit Hovhannisyan. |
5.02.2013 |
11:00 |
|
25 |
Yerevan, Erebuni District |
The office of the Republican Party is located in the building of the Erebuni territorial agency of social service. Reported by Stepan Hasan-Jalalyan. |
5.02.2013 |
11:00 |
|
26 |
Yerevan, Zeytun District, 71/2 Aharonyan Street |
Serzh Sargsyan campaign headquarters is located in the premises of the Zeytun territorial agency of social service. Reported by Gevorg Karapetyan.
According to the Electoral Code, campaign headquarters may not to be located in the premises occupied by state and local self-governing bodies, or in the buildings in which electoral commissions function.
Signboards placed on campaign headquarters shall not be regarded as print campaign materials for purposes of Electoral Code, unless they contain direct appeals to vote for or against a candidate or political party (or political party alliance), unless the number of such posters exceeds the number of election precincts formed for the purpose of elections, and unless the surface area of each poster (signboard) exceeds six square meters.
|
5.02.2013 |
11:30 |
|
27 |
Aparan, Quchak Village |
Serzh Sargsyan’s campaign posters are placed on the markets and the pharmacy. Reported by Stepan Hasan-Jalalyan. |
5.02.2013 |
11:30 |
|
28 |
Yerevan, 52 Mashtots Boulevard |
A poster for Serzh Sargsyan campaign headquarters is placed on the hostel of Yerevan State University. Reported by Stepan Hasan-Jalalyan. |
5.02.2013 |
11:30 |
|
29 |
Gegharkunik Region, Kartchaghbyur Village |
Kartchaghbyur village mayor Tariel Grigoryan, director of the local public school, forced all teachers to submit passports and at the same time gave a binding instruction to each of them to collect as many passports as possible and submit them to him, or else face serious repercussions. The source preferred to remain anonymous. |
5.02.2013 |
12:36 |
|
30 |
Yerevan, Azatutyan Boulevard |
Serzh Sargsyan’s campaign posters are placed on public catering venues and trade facilities. |
5.02.2013 |
14:25 |
Several dozen citizens in Yerevan and other regions received phone calls from authorities demanding their passport information. Passports were collected from schoolteachers, employees of kindergartens, hospitals, polyclinics, public institutions, local municipalities, supermarkets, large plants, and other institutions by order of their leadership. Staff members are required not only to submit copies of their own passports, but also those of their family members.
Citizens were offered a reimbursement of utilities fees in return for voting for Serzh Sargsyan.
Abuse of administrative resources is visually exposed in this video posted by Azatutyun radio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMua3B0fJvs. On January 31, 2013, the Minister of Education and Science of Armenia Armen Ashotyan sent a letter to Syunik region governor Suren Khachatryan, suggesting disciplinary action against the principal of an Agarak village public school for interrupting classes so teachers and pupils could attend a meeting with President Sargsyan. However, this and other “sanctions” are nothing more than meaningless public relations gestures. The course of the incumbent president’s campaign shows that these types of violations are widespread and their perpetrators never truly punished. Information on similar violations is also available at: iditord.org
Numerous reports exist of special parent-teacher meetings held at public schools, during which principals and teachers openly campaigned for Serzh Sargsyan. So far our sources wished to remain anonymous for fear of their children being ill-treated by the school administration. Some school principals phoned teachers to ask whom they will vote for in the upcoming election. The teachers who answered that they will vote for Raffi Hovannisian, were threatened with dismissal. All of this points to a national atmosphere of fear, promoted by the president’s party as its most effective campaign tool.
In addition to state terror and voter intimidation, incumbent Serzh Sargsyan has been conducting his campaign in visible violation of electoral laws. Most oviously, in violation of article 20, point 2 of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia: “Campaign posters may be posted only in places envisaged by this Article. It shall be prohibited to post campaign posters on buildings occupied by state government bodies or local self-government bodies, on or inside public catering or trading facilities and on or inside public transportation means, irrespective of the form of ownership.”
In violation of this law, Serzh Sargsyan’s posters are currently placed on state and local government buildings throughout the country, as well as public catering or trading facilities. There are also many posters placed on shops in Yerevan—Shinararner Street, Azatutyan Street—the town of Aparan, and other premises in or around the capital. These violations are not only breaches of the Electoral Code but also examples of the abuse of administrative resources and voter intimidation, as business owners must have their licenses renewed by the government each year.
The summary of violations abuse of state resources on the surface—combined with widespread voter threats and intimidation beneath the surfact—points to an electoral atmosphere that completely undermines the democratic process, and makes a mockery of the incumben president’s claims to ensure a free and fair election.
This conference is Raffi Hovannisian Campaign Headquarters notification on the recorded violations presented also for consideration of the presidential candidate Serzh Sargsyan and the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Armenia. The materials regarding the recorded violations will be submitted to the CEC, which must fix the data through its Oversight Service and make a decision on the elimination of violations within three days.
The photos of violations of are posted on Raffi Hovannisian’s official website.
Write a comment