The constitutional referendum did not comply with the norms prescribed in the Council of Europe’s Code of Good Practice on Referendums, according to a new report summarizing the observation mission’s findings. Statistical data is provided to prove the overwhelming assertions that the December 6 vote was illegitimate and did not reflect the free will of Armenia’s citizens. The report, jointly published by the Citizen Observer Initiative and European Platform for Democratic Elections, also includes recommendations and expectations for stakeholders moving forward.
Nearly 1000 observers were present on voting day, dispersed throughout almost all electoral districts in 520 precincts, a quarter of the total precincts. Restriction or obstruction of their rights was recorded in nearly every precinct where they were present.
The new report details these violations and groups them into four categories: (1) unlawful prohibition from examining and taking notes on voter lists; (2) refusal by the commission chairperson to record or address violations; (3) restriction of the right to make videos or move freely around the precinct; (4) intimidation, threats, or physical violence against observers and journalists. It also lists exactly which precincts reported violations of operating procedures, ballot box-stuffing, multiple voting and bribing, among other violations.
In addition, the report summarizes abuses by administrative sources during the official campaign leading up to the vote, and includes concerns over the “clearly regressive” contents of the draft.
Several recommendations for the improvement of the electoral system are proposed, such as publicity of voter lists and expansion of possibilities for public oversight.
Finally, the report states expectations for all relevant stakeholders including citizens, who should become more involved in the demand for a free and fair electoral system; state authorities, who should follow-up on violations and falsifications described in the report; mass media, which should maximize possibilities for public oversight; political parties, which should defend interests of citizens rather than pure partisan interests; and international organizations which should pay more attention to facts and evidence.
The report is available in its entirety as a PDF.
Watch CivilNet’s interview with European Platform for Democratic Elections representatives here