During the early elections to the National Assembly, the hotlines of working groups of the Human Rights Defender’s central and regional offices, as well as office members dispatched to the regions where the Defender has not a representation office, received 89 calls as of 20:30.
The calls to the Office’s hotline concerned not only to the accessibility of polling stations and issues with regard to furnishing, malfunctioning of technical equipment, the possibility of voting in a place other than the place of registration, but also to realization of right to vote confidentially, gatherings in the polling stations and in their vicinity, change of polling station’s location without prior notice, impossibility of voting due to issuance of passport to embassy or other institutions, etc.
Periodic calls were recorded with regard to realization of electoral rights by those who are not able to gain access to the polling station and people not included in the list of voters during the day of elections.
Comprehensive consultation for all cases was provided. Necessary clarifications were requested from the competent bodies, including from Territorial Electoral Commissions and the Police on specific cases.
The working group examined and analyzed 870 media publications on alleged violations in polling stations of Yerevan and regions.
During the whole day the Defender’s Office paid special attention to the publications on the work of journalists and observers.
As a result of received calls and publications, written letters requesting necessary clarifications will be sent to relevant state bodies, including Prosecutor General’s Office and the Police.
Besides, on December 8, the RA Prosecutor General's Office published information that as a result of a call a criminal case was instituted for the attempt to offer a bribe to voter under Article 154.2 (4) of the RA Criminal Code. According to the publication, based on facts obtained during the preliminary investigation, one person was arrested on suspicion of apparently offering a bribe.
A member of the National Assembly Gevorg Petrosyan applied to the Defender on this matter. Upon the Defender’s assignment representatives of the Office paid unannounced visit to RA Police Detention Facility. A private interview was held with the arrested person. It was revealed that at the time of the visit he had stopped the hunger-strike announced the day before. Meanwhile, conditions of detention, the state of their rights and their compliance with the established requirements, as well as issues related to the medical assistance during hunger strike were examined. It was recorded that the arrested person exercised his right to vote.
During the whole day the activities concerning the monitoring and hotline calls were carried out in cooperation with the Prosecutor’s Office, the Police, Central Electoral Commission and civil society organisations.
As a reminder, by the order of the Human Rights Defender a working group both at central office, as well as in Shirak, Gegharkunik and Syunik regional offices has been established with the purpose of conducting independent electoral monitoring. Besides the mentioned regions, the representatives were also dispatched to Lori, Aragatsotn and Tavush regions in order to examine possible complaints regarding electoral rights on the spot and as necessary to provide rapid response.