Armenian village heads violate secrecy of voting – opposition party

Armenian village heads violate secrecy of voting – opposition party

NEWS.AM
February 18, 2013 | 14:58

YEREVAN. – The prefects of Armenia’s several villages are violating
the precept of secret ballot during Monday’s presidential election,
opposition Heritage Party Press Secretary Hovsep Khurshudyan told news
reporters.

He informed that they have received such reports from Karadzor and
Chochkan villages in Lori Region, Nazrvan and Ohanavan villages in
Aragatsotn village, Akhpradzor village in Gegharkunik Region, and
Zovuni village in Kotayk Region.

The village heads did not leave the election precincts in all these
cases; they accompanied the voters to the voting booths, and markedly
forced them to vote for ruling Republican Party candidate and
incumbent President, Serzh Sargsyan.

According to the reports, election bribes were distributed to the
voters in the aforesaid villages on Sunday. The electoral commissions,
however, refuse to record the violations.

`Disregarding the request of our proxies, the village prefects are not
leaving the precincts,’ Khurshudyan said.

But no violence or threat was reported toward Heritage’s proxies.