Anti-Corruption Group Urges Diasporans to Observe Yerevan Municipal Elections

The following is an open letter by Transparency International Anticorruption Center and Europe in Law Association, urging Armenians in the diaspora to act as election observers in future elections in Armenia, starting with the May 2013 municipal election in Yerevan.

On election day, observers as well as voters witnessed gross violations such as ballot stuffing, multiple voting on behalf of absent citizens, and falsification of results in many of the precincts around Armenia.
On election day, observers as well as voters witnessed gross violations such as ballot stuffing, multiple voting on behalf of absent citizens, and falsification of results in many of the precincts around Armenia. (Photo: The Armenian Weekly)

On Feb. 18, 2013, the presidential elections demonstrated the Armenian people’s distrust towards authorities and the pressing demand for change. Elections, as usual, were accompanied by gross violations organized by the authorities. During the entire span of the pre-election campaign, voters faced suppression, threats, abuse of administrative resources, and vote buying. On election day, observers as well as voters witnessed gross violations such as ballot stuffing, multiple voting on behalf of absent citizens, and falsification of results in many of the precincts around Armenia. Most local electoral commission members were completely integrated into the falsification process, while many proxies of oppositional candidates were either intimidated or engaged in the deal with the ruling regime.

On election day, many violations were detected, prevented, and reported by independent civil society organizations throughout the country. One of the witnesses of the crudest violation was 21-year-old Narine Esmaeili, a U.S. citizen and participant of the Birthright Armenia program. Narine interns at Transparency International Anticorruption Center and acted as an observer within the observation mission of Europe in Law Association in precinct 17/05 in the town of Artashat. Narine was directly assaulted when she and journalist Artak Hambardzumyan tried to prevent and record mass ballot stuffing, whereas a group of 25-30 men stormed the polling station, grabbed her arms and pinned her against the wall. With assistance from the secretary of the local electoral commission, the band stuffed 400-500 ballots, significantly affecting the results in favor of the incumbent president. In other precincts the ballot stuffing process was smoother and less violent, with the employment of tricks such as temporary isolation of observers. In the aftermath of such countrywide violations, 60.18 percent of eligible voters “participated” in the elections, out of which 58.64 percent “voted” for incumbent Serge Sarkisian, as reported by official sources.

Following the elections, a criminal proceeding was launched by the Special Investigative Service of Armenia (SIS). However, instead of trying to reveal and condemn the crime, the SIS intended to conceal the facts. The investigator in charge of the case was aggressive, attempting to put psychological pressure on Narine for her to change her testimony. Even the head of the SIS violently interfered in the process of interrogation, seizing the tape recorder and preventing Narine’s attorney, Tigran Yegoryan, from collecting evidence on the unlawfulness of the proceeding. Later, SIS representatives continued to use scare tactics and intimidation to ensure Narine and her lawyers from the Europe in Law Association and Transparency International Anticorruption Center recant their call for justice and recognition of electoral fraud.

Narine’s participation in the observation of elections and her high moral and solid stance for the defense of the integrity of the electoral process made a significant difference in Armenia. Violations at precinct 17/05 were recognized by the Constitutional Court and the election results of that precinct (and only that precinct) were annulled, which marked a small but important step towards the realization of the dream of building a democratic state. Her courage and sense of civic duty attracted the attention of many, and spotlighted the problem of election fraud and the reluctance of the authorities to eradicate violations.

Elections in Armenia are constantly distorted, which in turn affect general democratic processes, foster corruption and emigration, and risk the country’s national security and statehood. There is a need for increased active engagement by civil society in the promotion and oversight of electoral processes. There is also the need for engagement of both our citizens as well as our co-patriots around the globe, who care about the future of Armenia.

We are calling upon Armenians throughout the world, as well as the Disaporan organizations to encourage and actively participate in Armenia’s future elections—at both national and local levels. We believe that Narine’s experience, when multiplied, will accelerate Armenia’s progression along the continuum of democracy. By witnessing, voicing concern, and protecting the truth, these observers will help the democratization of Armenia, while extending the scope of their feelings beyond the recognition of genocide.

As a first step, we are calling all active Armenians and Diaspora organizations to join the efforts of local Armenian non-governmental organizations in observing the Yerevan City elections to be held in May 2013.

For more information about participation in the observation mission, please contact Transparency International Anticorruption Center at info@transparency.am before April 10, 2013.

9 Comments

  1. The Asbarez March 23/13 issue has an article “Heffern Meets with US Citizen Who Reported Election Fraud” that has a video of Narine Esmaeili.

  2. I totally disagree, as Armenians in the past century never acted unbiased. Monitoring means being unbiased and objective. Nowhere this bias has been more prominent than in the aftermath of the latest elections where a loosing candidate with the support of some diaspora factions including the dashnagtsutyoun, Kardashian sisters and System of Down went on hunger strike to claim the presidency from the winner of elections which were characterized by the rest of the “civilized” world as the fairest yet in Armenia. leave the observation to unbiased NGO’s like ex President Jimmy Carter’s organization and agree to its findings, whether they are to your liking or not.

  3. I have sent an email on Saturday to this info@transparency.am volunteering to go to Yerevan and monitor the municipal elections. I have received no reply nor acknowledgement yet. Perhaps they are overwhelmed.
    Anyone else with the same problem?

  4. That is exactly where my envisaged 5 delegates from the 5 main areas of Diaspora, N&S America, EU,RF, and Middle East permanent delegates(if approved ) by govt. would come in .Very handy on the spot ,,keep eye on what goes on and then relate to their areas etc.,
    Some people would also grant that BEING IN HOMELAND is also important…
    Why ? because from far away nothing without getting involved with localsHomeland people) would be same as by corespondence…
    Hasgcoghin BAREV

  5. I have also written to info@transparency.am offering my support and volunteer services. I have not received any reply or acknowledgement.
    Why do people advertize such things when they are not equipped to handle the response? Or is it….??

    • I am Sona Ayvazyan, Deputy Director of Transparency International Anticorruption Center. I apologize to those who wrote and did not get reply. For some reason we have not received your emails and just saw your comments on this website. We very much appreciate your interest in monitoring elections in Armenia and your contribution is valuable. I would suggest to write to us one more time, sending CC also to sona@transaparency.am and lena@transparency.am.

  6. Exactly how does this organization propose Diasporan Armenians observe elections in a a foreign country? Am I to believe as a Diasporan Armenian I should just drop everything I am doing and travel to Armenia to observe elections? Who will pay for the expenses of someone going from another country to ROA to serve as referees? How about they hire people in Armenia to take on that task…

    It seems that this open letter is meant sort of a ‘feel good’ gesture more than an arms for people to become activists in ROA affairs.

  7. I have also volunteered, and after resending my message, I did get a reply and some informative details which I am sharing below. Moral of the story: be patient.
    I hope that when I monitor the Yerevan elections, I will be unbiased, but of course, like Mr. Ara Demirjian stated, who is to prove I will not be biased? What if I get fooled by these ultra-smart cheaters? What if I don’t have Narine Esmaeli’s courage? What if I don’t get the moral support and protection Narine gets from the US Embassy?
    It is saddening to me that some of us always accuse the others of cheating. Not once in our Presidential elections has the person who came second, risen to the occasion and congratulated the winner and advised his supporters to join ranks behind him.
    Here is my exchange with Transparency.am

    RE: sending again Re: I would like to help monitor the municipal elections in Yerevan
    Friday, March 29, 2013 7:36 AM
    From:@transparency.am>
    To:”‘Antoine S. Terjanian'”
    Անտուան ջան, հասկանում եմ ձեր մտահոգությունը:
    Այսօր արդեն ճշտում եմ դասընթացի օրերը ու անմիջապես կհաղորդեմ ձեզ:
    Լենա
    Project Specialist | Transparency International Anti-corruption Center NGO
    6, Aygestan 9th Street, Yerevan 0025, Armenia, | Tel.: (+37410) 56 99 10, 55 30 69 | Fax: (+37410) 57 13 99
    info@transparency.am|www.transparency.am | http://www.facebook.com/TIArmenia | http://www.twitter.com/TI_Armenia
    Transparency International Anti-corruption Center NGO was founded in 2000.
    We represent Transparency International global anti-corruption movement in Armenia.
    Our goal is to promote effective anti-corruption policy, transparent and accountable governance.

    From: Antoine S. Terjanian
    Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2013 7:09 PM
    To: Lena
    Subject: RE: sending again Re: I would like to help monitor the municipal elections in Yerevan
    Լենա Ջան
    Շնորհակալ եմ որ անմիջապես պատասխանեցիր:
    Այո Դասընթացի ուզում եմ հետեվել:
    Եթե իսկապես ուզում եք արտասահամանից Դիտորթներ մասնակցեն, սրանից ավելի հստակ ժամանկներ պետք է հրատարակեք:
    3 օրից արդեն Ապրիլ է:
    Արտասահմանից հայեր պետք է տոմս վերցնեն, մնալու տեղ ճարեն, եւայլն…
    Դուք ինչ կերպով օգնում եք?
    Անտուան Ստեփան Թերջանյան
    Antoine S. Terjanian
    — On Thu, 3/28/13, @transparency.am> wrote:
    From: transparency.am>
    Subject: RE: sending again Re: I would like to help monitor the municipal elections in Yerevan
    To: “‘Antoine S. Terjanian'”
    Received: Thursday, March 28, 2013, 9:00 AM
    Շատ լավ: Ի՞նչպես հայերեն ընթերցեմ ձեր անունը:
    Մենք նախատեսում ենք 1 դասընթաց կազմակերպել, որտեղ մասնագետները կներկայացնեն հետևյալ թեմաները.
    1. Երևանի ավագանու ընտրության կարգը
    2. Քվերակության կարգը
    3. Արդյունքների ամփոփման կարգը
    4. Բողոքարկման գործընթացը
    5. Դիտորդների իրավունքները
    Դասընթացը վարելու են փորձված իրավաբանները, ովքեր նաև դիտորդության փորձ ունեն:
    Բացի դասընթացից լինելու է ևս մեկ հանդիպում դտորդների հետ, որտեղ կտրվեն ցուցումներ, թե`
    6. Ի՞նչ պետք է դիտորդն ունենա ընտրության օրը իր հետ:
    7. Ինչի՞ն պետք է հատկապես ուշադրություն դարձնի տեղամասում:
    8. Որո՞նք են ամենատարածված ընտրախախտումները:
    9. Ի՞նչ ընտրակեղծիքների ձևեր են կիրառվում:
    10. Ի՞նչ դեպքեր կարող են պատահել տեղամասում:
    Դասընթացի օրերը ճշտվում են, կլինեն ապրիլի ընթացքում: Եթե կարծում եք, որ չեք հասցնելու մասնակցել, ապա ես կարող եմ ձեզ առաջարկել նյութեր` ընթերցելու համար: Դրանցից մեծ մասը կարող եք գտնել http://www.elections.am Կենտրոնական ընտրական հանձնաժողովի կայքում:
    Հարգանքներով`
    Լենա
    Project Specialist | Transparency International Anti-corruption Center NGO
    6, Aygestan 9th Street, Yerevan 0025, Armenia, | Tel.: (+37410) 56 99 10, 55 30 69 | Fax: (+37410) 57 13 99
    info@transparency.am|www.transparency.am | http://www.facebook.com/TIArmenia | http://www.twitter.com/TI_Armenia
    Transparency International Anti-corruption Center NGO was founded in 2000.
    We represent Transparency International global anti-corruption movement in Armenia.
    Our goal is to promote effective anti-corruption policy, transparent and accountable governance.

    From: Antoine S. Terjanian
    Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2013 3:03 PM
    To: Lena Nazaryan
    Cc: Sheila Terjanian
    Subject: RE: sending again Re: I would like to help monitor the municipal elections in Yerevan
    Dear Lena:
    I am glad to hear back from you. Please give me the full training and work schedule, as well as all conditions for this job, so I book my travel arrangements
    Այո, ԱրեւելաՀայերեն եւ ԱրեւմտաՀայերեն խոսում եմ եւ կարդում եմ
    Antoine S. Terjanian
    — On Thu, 3/28/13, @transparency.am> wrote:
    Subject: RE: sending again Re: I would like to help monitor the municipal elections in Yerevan
    To: terjanian
    Received: Thursday, March 28, 2013, 6:31 AM
    Dear, Antoine
    Sorry for late response.
    We are glad to hear about your intention to be observer during the May 2013 Yerevan City elections with TIAC. I will be one of the coordinator of this initiative.
    As you probably know you will be asked to take test for the certificate. We will help you to be prepared through trainings and seminars and will organize all necessary procedures to get certificate, but all this process need to be done in Armenian language. So, is your Armenian trained enough to read materials and fill applications? If not, you can be registered as a journalist. This is also possible.
    Looking forward to your reply.
    Best
    Lena
    Project Specialist | Transparency International Anti-corruption Center NGO
    6, Aygestan 9th Street, Yerevan 0025, Armenia, | Tel.: (+37410) 56 99 10, 55 30 69 | Fax: (+37410) 57 13 99
    info@transparency.am|www.transparency.am | http://www.facebook.com/TIArmenia | http://www.twitter.com/TI_Armenia
    Transparency International Anti-corruption Center NGO was founded in 2000.
    We represent Transparency International global anti-corruption movement in Armenia.
    Our goal is to promote effective anti-corruption policy, transparent and accountable governance

  8. thank you Antoine, for your very valuable volunteer contribution to the possibility of democracy in our country. Your efforts will help our struggling people to know that in future only their own voice will decide who holds the reins of power. Thank you.

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