AN APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
STATEMENT
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, express our deep concern with the presidential elections on February 19, 2008, the pre-election period, the election campaign and the post-election processes in the country. The assessment of international observers, even though portrayed in a positive light by the government and the government controlled media, was critical. However, the apparent discrepancy between the actual findings of the assessment with the formative first two sentences of the report resulted in the government only referring to this paragraph in the international observers’ assessment in order to legitimize the results of the election. Meanwhile, in the report, international observers pointed out to media censorship, intimidation of voters, vote buying, etc. and called vote count ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’ in 16 percent of polling stations visited. Qualifying such practices as a “step forward” and in line with the commitments to hold free and fair elections discredits the notion of democracy and further lowers the standards of democratic reforms.
A number of undersigned organizations observed the elections during the voting day as well as the process prior and post February 19. The instances of violations are numerous and are documented in our reports.
We are particularly concerned with the Freedom of Media/Access to Media, Violence, Corruption and Use of Administrative Resources, Arrests of Public Figures.
One of the main points that the OSCE/ODHIR observation mission made in its interim report concerned the need to establish public trust in the electoral process. Deep rooted mistrust and often-referred-to public apathy is nothing else but self-preservation reaction of the Armenian people vs. the atmosphere of impunity for those who perpetrated electoral fraud in all past elections. The processes taking place after the elections are alarming and will definitely deepen the public distrust.
We believe that as long as electoral fraud goes uninvestigated and unpunished, there will be no trust in the process and in the legal and judicial system.
We believe that only through open and widely inclusive public discussion over the above stated problems and violations it is possible to foster the atmosphere of trust and public confidence.
In view of the above, we state that this election was not held in correspondence with our understanding of democratic values and practices.
We believe that the way the authorities handle the fraud will be indicative of the honest determination to abide by the rules of democratic free and fair elections.
We call upon the Armenian government to stop politically motivated detentions. These are not calls for impunity, but a call for the government to set the example for the Armenian people and to act within the law.
We call upon the international community to see through the commitment of the Armenian government to comply with the procedure and to require documentation of proper investigation and due punishment of those who violated the law.
We call upon the international community to make objective conclusions based on their own findings and not to discredit the notion of democracy, democratic standards and principles, as well as the international organizations carrying out an observation mission.
Signatories
“Asparez” Journalists’ Club
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
Helsinki Committee of Armenia
Helsinki Citizens Assembly Vanadzor Branch
“Internews-Armenia” Media Support NGO
Media Diversity Institute
Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia
Transparency International Anti-corruption Center
Yerevan Press Club
LIBERTY SQUARE IN THE CENTER OF ATTENTION
Although the National TV and private TV companies do not cover the latest occurrences in the Liberty Square, the sit-down strike, which lasts more than a week, is in the center of the everyone’s attention. ...CARS ARE TAKEN AWAY
The police have found a new method to reduce the number of cars and the number of the participants in the rally. They stop the cars in the Liberty Square for checking purposes, but drive them to the ...ARMENIA IS NOT THE FAVORITE
The Armenian and Azerbaijani footzal national teams will meet today in Pardubica, Czech Republic. According to international bookmakers, Azerbaijani team will be the potential winner of the match; they ...THEY WILL COMMEMORATE VICTIMS IN SUMGAIT
more images
People in the Liberty Square were in high spirits today. Some people gathered and talked, others cleaned the tents and the environment. Member of the “Armenian National Movement” party ...EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN ARMENIA
more images
Today Robert Kocharyan presented credentials to the head of the European Commission Delegation to Armenia Raul de Luzenberger.
The RA President congratulated the newly appointed head ...THEY WILL SUE THE GOVERNMENT
Today the representatives of the North and Main avenues, Dalma and Nork gardens organized a protest action in front of the Government building. They demanded the Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan to receive ...“I WOULD NOT SAY A TREACHERY, BUT YOU DECODE…”
“A president should be elected fairly”, declared the presidential candidate Tigran Karapetyan. He has appealed to the Constitutional Court to dispute the results of the presidential elections to recognize ...POLICEMEN ASSAULTED ON A JOURNALIST AGAIN
more images
Today, in the Liberty Square the policemen assaulted on the photojournalist of “Aravot” and “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” newspapers Gagik Shamshyan and hindered his professional obligations. ...TER-PETROSYAN GAVE 10 DAYS TO WEST
1
The RA First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan is discontent with the behavior of international observation missions. “Their behavior is formal. They are engaged only in arithmetic. They treat the elections ...AN APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
STATEMENT
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, express our deep concern with the presidential elections on February 19, 2008, the pre-election period, the election campaign and the post-election ...“SHAME, SHAME, SHAME”
1
more images
“We will fight until we win”, was the slogan of today’s march. Today’s way of the march differed from the previous ones. “Levon President”, “Serge Leave”, “Fight, fight to the end” ...SERGE SARGSYAN WILL BE TOLERANT UNTIL…
Today the RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan received the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby and the delegation headed by him - the head of the European Commission’s Delegation ...
NA SPEAKER RECEIVES NEW CONGRATULATIONS
“I JOINED LEVON WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE”
OSCE TO HELP ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN OFFICE MONITOR SITUATION IN ARMED FORCES
JHANGIRYAN KIDNAPPED
THOUSANDS RALLY IN LOS ANGELES TO SUPPORT TER-PETROSSIAN
THEY ARE WAITED IN GAS-MASKS
GAGIK JHANGIRIAN JOINS TER-PETROSSIAN
PAINSTAKING SEARCH IN MAKEYAN’S FLAT
JHANGIRYAN KIDNAPPED
TER-PETROSYAN IS IN GOOD SPIRITS
ONE STEP FORWARD TWO STEPS BACKWARD
ARMENIA: VIOLENCE AT POLLING STATIONS MARS ELECTIONS
LIBERTY SQUARE IN THE CENTER OF ATTENTION
- 1852 Sahak Apro and Greegor Markossian publish the "Noyan Aghavni" periodical until 1863, in Constantinople.
- 1905 The Tsar appoints Vorontsov-Dashkov as Viceroy of the Caucasus (1905-1915).
- 1923 Death of Stepan Mamikonian public figure of Eastern Armenia.
- 1976 The first energy block of the nuclear power-station of Armenia is put on line.
ARMENIAN NEWS
INTERACTIVE NEWS
INFORMATION
MY ARMTOWN
How to quit smoking?
How to write in Armenian on Windows XP?
All materials published on this website are taken from open sources and are copyrighted by their respective owners. You cannot reproduce or copy any materials published on armtown.com without written consent of original copyright holder. If you want to remove any material, please send us an email with proof of ownership/copyright and your material will be removed immediately. All materials published for information purposes only.