Summary of Violations Recorded by Raffi Hovannisian Campaign Headquarters
13:40, February 9, 2013
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
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:
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:
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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress