Observers report violations at local elections in Armenia

The country has finished voting at local elections. Observers have noted the use of administrative resources, recorded cases of transporting voters to polling stations by supporters of the ruling party, and violations of the requirements for visual campaigning.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 18, local elections were held in six communities of the Shirak, Syunik and Tavush Regions of Armenia. The police detained Arutyun Sinanyan, a candidate for the Council of Elders of the city of Goris from the "Arush Arushanyan" bloc, who, at the request of his female neighbour, helped her to come to the polling station. In Goris, policemen searched the office of the oppositional bloc "Arush Arushanyan" in connection with the criminal case of Arushan Arushanyan's father, suspected of giving pre-election bribes.

Observers learned about pre-election bribes in Goris; they also fixed the bringing voters to polling stations by supporters of the ruling, also violations the requirement for placing campaign posters, the observation mission has informed.

Serious violations were recorded in the Goris and Teg communities, Daniel Ionesyan, the programme coordinator of the Union of Informed Citizens (he is also a member of the "Independent Observer" mission). In Goris, information about the distribution of pre-election bribes was received; observers fixed advices to voters for whom to vote.

Voting outside the booth, or more than one person being present in the booth at the same time were also fixed.