Amsterdam & Partners LLP, international counsel to Strong Armenia leader Samvel Karapetyan, today expresses serious concern regarding widespread electoral irregularities during Armenia’s parliamentary elections.
The allegations have been made in the context of an election campaign that was already marked by the arrest of opposition figures, last-minute changes to the electoral code and the use of state resources and pressure against government critics.
According to Gohar Meloyan, a member of the Strong Armenia alliance board, evidence collected by the party points to a broad pattern of irregularities involving voter registration records, pressure on public employees, misuse of administrative resources, ballot-control schemes and obstacles affecting voters seeking to exercise their rights.
“The electoral violations are extensive and diverse”, Ms. Meloyan stated.
Strong Armenia had identified 689 addresses at which between 20 and 303 individuals were registered at a single location. The alliance further reports that some citizens discovered that individuals registered at their addresses had already cast ballots.
Strong Armenia also received numerous complaints alleging that public sector employees were pressured to support the ruling authorities and instructed to photograph their ballots as proof of compliance.
“To address these concerns, we established a dedicated hotline and received thousands of alerts”, Ms. Meloyan continued, adding that “we are currently working in emergency mode to examine the information and identify the mechanisms that may have been employed.”
According to the alliance, complaints were received from multiple branches of the public service alleging that employees were compelled to vote for the ruling authorities, photograph their ballots, or remove Strong Armenia ballots from polling stations as evidence that they had not voted for the opposition.
Ms. Meloyan reported that many individuals expressed fear and believed they had little choice but to comply with these instructions.
The alliance also reports receiving video evidence showing individuals entering polling stations carrying multiple ballots in advance. Additional concerns have been raised regarding the conduct of offices operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where citizens reportedly encountered difficulties obtaining documentation required to participate in the electoral process.
These allegations should not be viewed as isolated incidents but rather as part of a broader pattern that affected the overall fairness of the electoral process. The party is currently reviewing thousands of reports and compiling evidence for further legal and institutional action.
Robert Amsterdam, Founder and Managing Partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, states:
“The election conduct we witnessed on Sunday is deeply troubling. If voters were pressured to prove how they voted, if public employees were coerced into supporting the ruling authorities, and if administrative resources were deployed to influence electoral outcomes, then these are not simply procedural concerns but serious challenges to the democratic process itself.
The Armenian people deserve a thorough, transparent and independent investigation. They are entitled to assurances that their elections are determined by the free will of the people and not by pressure, fear or the misuse of state power.”
Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm specialised in political advocacy and human rights, based in London and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.amsterdamandpartners.com. Media enquiries may be directed to *contact@amsterdamandpartners.com*.
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