OSCE/ODIHR fixes violence during election campaign in Armenia

On April 27, the observatory mission of the OSCE/ODIHR (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) published the second interim report on the parliamentary elections in Armenia that covers the period of April 3-25. According to the report, despite the fact that the campaign is generally calm, a number of incidents with application of violence there were registered.

The second report notes that some constituencies saw cases of obstructing the pre-election agitation, including facts of application of violence to oppositionists; in particular, observers fixed two such incidents in Yerevan.

"On April 15, several residents of the Armavir Region told the OSCE/ODIHR observers that the authorities, the Mayor and members of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) threatened to sack them, if they took part in the rally of the "Heritage" Party. Observers also recorded two incidents of violence that burst out on April 15 and 16 between supporters of the oppositional Armenian National Congress (ANC) and of the RPA at Constituency No. 7 in Yerevan, when ANC activists were spreading their campaign materials," says the report.

Along with that, the report refers to a statement of the Armenian Police saying that those incidents had nothing to do with the elections.

"Law enforcers are investigating the attack on the opposition activists under Article 117 of the Criminal Code, namely, "intentional infliction of slight traumas", which provides for imprisonment of up to months, while hampering election campaigning with use of violence falls under Article 149, which assumes imprisonment for up to 5 years," informs the observatory mission.

The OSCE/ODIHR cites other violations of legislation; in particular, distribution by teachers of RPA's campaign materials in educational institutions, which is prohibited by point 6, Article 18, of the Electoral Code of Armenia. According to long-term observers, on April 11 in Echmiadzin, pupils and teachers were released from classes in order to take part in the rally of the RPA; and on April 14 in the Yerevan Arabkir District teacher asked pupils to take part after school in a rally of the RPA with participation of President Serzh Sargsyan.

Observers have also treated speeches of certain members of the oppositional ANC as incendiary. "At a rally in Yerevan, a representative of the ANC called President Serzh Sargsyan as 'Fuhrer'; and the ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan, speaking at two rallies in Armavir and Echmiadzin on April 18, treated the ruling regime as criminal, which is 'worse than communism, because it sends army against its own people'," the report says.

Still, the document praised the preparation work for the elections, which is conducted by the CEC (Central Election Commission), and by constituency and precinct election commissions. Observers note that commissions of all levels have succeeded with the necessary paperwork well in advance.