A Working Group has been established under the Human Rights Defender’s order to guarantee and ensure the effective protection of electoral rights within the Defender’s mandate prescribed by the law during Yerevan city’s Council of Elders pre-election and election period which will take place on September 23, 2018.
The Working Group is directly responsible for monitoring alleged violations of electoral rights reported by media, as well as for ensuring proper examination of oral and written complaints. The Group is also responsible for receiving citizens, providing legal aid, as well as for carrying out rapid reaction visits.
In the course of examination of complaints and media publications, special attention shall be paid to the issues related to the rights of journalist and observers.
The Group's primary task is to closely cooperate with relevant bodies, including the Central Electoral Commission, civil society organizations and mass media involved in electoral process, as well as local and international organizations carrying out electoral observation missions. The Working Group is also assigned to maintain close communication with competent state bodies during the elections.
As always, during the whole electoral process the Human Rights Defender’s Office will conduct its activities based on the principles of impartiality, publicity and transparency and other principles prescribed by the RA Constitution.