Statement on the Drafting of the New Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia
Citizen’s election observers urge the Armenian authorities to safeguard transparency of the process of drafting the new election law and to include all relevant experts, representatives of the civil society and the political parties in the process. The authorities should establish an updated voter register and provide proper voter lists, cancel undue restrictions of the […]
Voting violations and electoral fraud constitutional referendum in Armenia
The constitutional referendum of December 6, 2015, did not comply with the norms prescribed in the Code of Good Practice on Referendums of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. The official results are largely forced and falsified, and the referendum and the document adopted through it are not legitimate. The observation mission recorded gross, multiple, […]
Armenia: Interviews with EPDE experts on the Technology of Stealing Votes [VIDEO]
Interviews at CIvilNet television with EPDE experts: Lene Wetteland, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Roman Udot, Movement Golos, Russia and Adam Busuleanu on the conduct of the Constitutional Referendum In Armenia. The experts present results and conclusions on the pre-referendum campaign and the voting day. Lene Wetteland of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and an expert with the […]
Referendum assessed as illegitimate by Citizen Observers and EPDE
Constitutional Referendum Preliminary statement on the conduct of the Constitutional Referendum Citizen Observer Initiative and European Platform for Democratic Elections Republic of Armenia December 6, 2016 Citizen Observer Initiative and the European Platform for Democratic Elections found an unprecedented number of violations on the December 6 Constitutional Reform. The referendum campaign was marred by […]
Preliminary statement on the conduct of the Constitutional Referendum
Citizen Observer Initiative and the European Platform for Democratic Elections found an unprecedented number of violations on the December 6 Constitutional Referendum. The referendum campaign was marred by massive misuse of administrative resources to campaign in favor of the constitutional changes and influencing the voting and tabulation process via control of electoral administration on the […]
Referendum in Armenia: EPDE opens media center in Yerevan
Yerevan, 1 December 2015: EPDE opens International Media Center in Yerevan, Armenia for the Constitutional Referendum scheduled on 6 December 2015. Domestic and international experts will provide exclusive information on the preparations for the referendum and the conduct of the voting day. Simultaneous English translation and live stream on the EPDE website will be provided […]
Armenian Election Monitoring Groups protest against pushing forward constitutional reform by the presidential administration
On September 4, 2013, President Serzh Sargsyan made a unilateral decision to introduce amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. The referendum was pushed forward by the authorities rather quickly and aggressively. Many international standards for referendums, as set forth in Venice Commission’s Code of Good Practice on Referendums (2007) are not observed.
Armenian Election Monitoring Groups protest against pushing forward constitutional reform by the presidential administration
We urge the Armenian authorities not to appoint the constitutional referendum without a substantial public debate, as well as before establishing preconditions for transparent voting. We appeal to the international institutions who promotes democracy and human rights not to support the constitutional referendum in Armenia in the situation of the distrust towards the authorities or […]
Civic observers protest against the intransparent pushing for constitutional reform in Armenia
Armenian authorities push forward a referendum on comprehesive constitutional amendments changing the governance system from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary one. The changes would enable the incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan to stay in power after the expiration of his second and last term in office and to secure the monopoly power of his polical party. […]
Armenian constitutional amendments raise civil society concerns
STATEMENT OF ARMENIAN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS INITIATED BY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA Yerevan, June 5, 2015: On September 4 2013, the President of Armenia Serj Sargsyan issued a decree to establish a Specialized Commission on Constitutional Reforms under the President’s office to draft amendments to the Armenian Constitution. […]