Mirrors found at polling station
Observers of Human Rights in Armenia (www.hra.am) recorded new cases of violations in the February 18 ballot.
14:09 - Gyumri, 34/27 - CSI observer noted that a proxy was sitting very close to one of the polling booth and was trying to see for whom voters vote. There were gatherings at the polling station as well.
14:25 - It was reported to the hotline 080 080 804 that the members of the Commission at one of the polling station in Lukashin village of Armavir marz stood next to the voters and check for whom they were voting.
12:38 - A citizen called the hotline 080 080 804 and reported that there were incidents of open ballot voting and double voting in Geghazat village of Ararat marz.
14:10 - Yerevan, Avan, 1/08 Polling station - CSI observer informed that there had been considerable gatherings of people at the polling station for already 20 minutes and it created chaos. The Chair of the Commission was smoking and did not control the situation. Voters were voting in two at the polling booths.
13:30 - It was reported on the hotline 080 080 804 that the temporary stamp in the passport vanished two hours after voting.
13:53 - Yerevan, 8/05, 8/06, 8/07 Polling station - The lawyer and observer of the crew of "Legal Ambulance" car observed that a citizen was voting outside the polling station, in a car.
12:15 - Observer of NGO "Europe of Law" Tigran Egoryan called the hotline 080 080 804 and reported that the Chairs of the Commission at the polling stations 17/2, 17/3 isolated observers, whereas at polling station 17/7 an incident of double voting was registered.
12:00 - Gyumri, 34/30 Polling station - CSI observer reported that proxies of the candidates did not have required IDs on them. They stated that they could not pierce their coats and pin the IDs on them.
13:50 - Artashat, 17/01 Polling station - CSI observer observed several instances when two persons voted at the same polling booth at the same time.
09:00 - 10:00 - Gavar, 22/15 Polling station - CSI observer informed that a number of voters go to the polling station accompanied by a woman. After the voting, the voters accompanied by the same woman go towards a car parked approximately 100 m off the polling station where the woman in question makes some notes and then the voters leave.
13:04 - Artashat, 17/1 Polling station - CSI observer reported that there were two persons at the polling booth who failed to register according to the established procedure. It appeared that the daughter assisted to her mother to vote. The observer reported the incident to the Chair of the Commission. The issue was solved.
Observer of NGO "Europe of Law" told CSI observer that there were mirrors on the wall behind the polling booth at the same polling station that violated the secrecy of ballot. Following the intervention of the international observers, the Chair of the Commission covered the mirrors.
13:10 - Vanadzor, 30/31 Polling station - CSI observer reported that electoral campaign's song of the candidate for the President's office Serzh Sargsyan "To the secure Armenia" was loudly played at the CD shop located in front of the polling station. Following observer's intervention, police fixed the issue.
13:05 - Yerevan, 13/37 Polling station - CSI observer observed how a voter threw in his driving license together with the ballot into the ballot box. He demanded to unseal the ballot box and take out his driving license but the Chair of the Commission stated that he had no right to unseal the box.
12:15 - Gyumri, 34/27 Polling station - CSI observer observed that the proxy of Serzh Sargsyan entered into the polling booth and guided a few voters for whom to vote.
12:00 - Yerevan, 4/11 Polling station - Theproxy of Raffi Hovhannisyan told CSI observer that there was a woman on the ground floor of the polling station who was checking voters who came to the polling station on her checklist. Upon the proxy's intervention she was driven out of the polling station.
11:38 - Yerevan, 13/38 Polling station - Amalya Harutyunyan who is proxy of Raffi Hovhannisyan, told CSI observer that a person had voted with a Georgian passport. While they were trying to find out whether that person had Armenian citizenship, the latter voted and left the polling station.
12:20 - Goris, 37/29 Polling station - CSI observer reported that there were two proxies representing candidate for the President's office Serzh Sargsyan at the polling station. Following observer's intervention, the issue was solved; the Chair of the Commission asked one of the proxies to leave the polling room.
The observer reports that Serzh Sargsyan is the only candidate whose proxies are present at a number of polling stations of Goris.
12:20 - Artashat, 17/01 Polling station - Observer Khachatur Siradeghyan called 080 080 804 hotline and reported that three proxies hindered his as well as a journalist of "Iravunk" newspaper Elimira Martirosyan's work, did not allow them to come closer stating that the observer and the journalist in question hinder their, proxies' work. The observer also stated that they were under psychological pressure.
2:10 - Tsakhkadzor, 25/28 Polling station - CSI observer observed gatherings of people.
11:31 - Akhuryan, 35/04 Polling station - Journalist of the crew of "Legal ambulance" car reported that voters are transferred to and from the polling station by a micro-bus. For more details see hetq.am/arm/news/23463/mikroavtobusy-uxevorner-e-texapokhum-yntratexamas.html
11:47 - Aparan, 14/22 Polling station - CSI observer observed two persons in the same polling booth that constitutes a violation of the law. Upon intervention of the Chair of the Commission the issue was fixed.
11:45 - Gyumri, 34/27 Polling station - CSI observer observed that a proxy tried to assist or guide voters. The proxy did not inform whose (which candidate) proxy he was. According to the Armenian Electoral Code, proxy is not allowed to assist a voter incapable to vote alone.
11:30 - Yerevan, 8/16 Polling Station - Journalist of the crew of "Legal Ambulance" car observed that the husband voted on behalf of his wife failing to notify the Commission or register as an assistant.
More details at http://www.aravot.am/2013/02/18/200743/
10:55-11:30 - Yerevan, 13/32 Polling station - CSI observer observed gatherings of people. The same person assisted a number of voters to vote on various occasions. According to the Armenian Electoral Code, a person is allowed to assist another voter only once. The members of the Commission and proxies are not allowed to assist to vote.
11:20 - Yerevan - A voter called the hotline 080 080 804 and reported that the ink stamp from his passport vanished an hour later after the voting. The voter voted at the polling station located at Kindergarten 113 of Yerevan.
11:20 - Hrazdan, 25/10 Polling station - CSI observer observed that the Chair of the Commission is not present at the polling station. The Secretary of the Commission clarified that she was replacing the Chair whilst the latter went to vote.
10:30-10:55 - Gegharkuniq marz, Gavar, 22/15 Polling station - In course of the visit, CSI observer observed gathering of people. The number of people at the polling station exceeded 15. This led to confusion and hubbub at the polling station. The situation improved by 10:55 a.m. Police officers dispersed the gathering.
10:52 - Aparan, 14/21 Polling station - CSI observer observed gathering of people. The observer applied to the Chair of the Commission and the latter asked some of the persons to leave the polling station. According to Article 63 (33) of the Armenian Electoral Code, there should be not more than 15 persons at the same time at the polling station.
10:35 - Yerevan, 9/15 Polling station - CSI observer noticed that the Chair of the Commission wears a pin with the sign of the Armenian Republican Party.
10:05 - Hrazdan, 25/26, 25/26 Polling station - The Chair of the Commission Eghiazaryan Samvel left the polling station to go to the shop and returned in 5 minutes.
According to the Armenian Electoral Code, the Chair of the Commission has to ensure normal voting process in the polling station whilst it is not clear in regard to the issue how to proceed in Chair's absence.
08:55 - Yerevan, 9/4 Polling station- CSI observer observed that the Chair of the Commission left the polling station stating. The latter informed that he was going to vote and would be back in 10 minutes. According to the Electoral Code, the Chair of the Commission has to ensure normal voting process in the polling station whilst it is not clear in regard to the issue how to proceed in Chair's absence.
09:45-10:45 - Yerevan, 9/27 and 9/28 Polling stations - "Gazel" microbus with yellow car plate numbers 0858s periodically transfer people to Noragyugh.
9:47 - Yerevan, 5/24 Polling station - The Chair of the Commission tried to drive out CSI observer of the polling station stating that observers' ID was not visible.
8:02 - Yerevan, 9/3 Polling station - CSI observer observed that the Chair of the Commission Gohar Karapetyan left the polling station. First she stated that she was leaving to see a doctor, then she said that she was going to vote. According to the Electoral Code, the Chair of the Commission has to ensure normal voting process in the polling station whilst the Code is not clear in regard to the issue how to proceed in Chair's absence.
10:22 - Aparan, 14/23 Polling station - CSI observer reported that there were two persons in the polling booth which is a violation. The observer applied to the Chair of the Commission and the latter fixed the issue by inviting one of the two persons out of the polling booth.
09:00 - Gyumri, 34/22 Polling station - CSI observer observed that by 9 a.m. the Chair of the Commission Arusyak Hovhannisyan was absent. The voters' lists at the same polling station were posted at a place inconvenient to reach for the voters - at the school's backyard. The observer also observed gatherings of people.
09:57 - Goris, 37/07 Polling station - CSI observer reported that the candidate for the President's office Serzh Sargsyan has two proxies at that polling station which is a violation. As it is stipulated in the Electoral Code, only one proxy per candidate is allowed to be present in the polling room.
Update - The cars of "Elections 2013 - Legal Initiative" visited the polling station where they were told that two proxies were not present at the polling room at the same time but rather replace each other.
09:20 - Tavush Marz, village Getahovit, 40/33 Polling Station - CSI observer observed a case of open voting. When the voter left the polling booth, he approached the ballot box, took out and showed his ballot and stated loudly for whom he had voted. He explained to the observers that he belonged to the Armenian Republican Party, he did that statement voluntarily to prove them. According to the Armenian Electoral Code, there is responsibility stipulated for violation of the secret ballot voting.
08:30 - Aparan, 14/21 Polling Station - The CSI observer reported that an old woman was assisted to vote in the polling booth by two persons. The Chair of the Commission did not take any steps to prevent the violation stating that the woman was very old and had difficulties with voting.
08:45 - Yerevan, Davtashen, 5/8 Polling Station - The Chair of the Commission did not register CSI observer and did not allow her to enter the polling station stating, that observer's ID should be pinned in a manner to be clearly visible at all times. There no such explicit requirement in the Armenian Electoral Code, hence showing observer's ID is sufficient to be registered and to enter the polling station.
08:45 Yerevan, Avan, 1/6 Polling station - "Civil Society Institute" NGO observer has reported that there was a hole on the bottom of the sealed ballot box. In regard to that, the Chair of the Commission stated that all the members of the Commission had checked the ballot box and sealed it, and it was possible that there were similar boxes in other polling stations.
At the same polling station the proxy of Raffi Hovhannisyan told the observer that the Commission did not give him an opportunity to work, did not engage him in the voting process and did not provide with any information.
