Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

During the election campaign period for the National Assembly (NA) elections to be held on April 2, 2017, the ‘Independent Observer’ Public Alliance carries out long-term observation mission in all the 13 voting districts (VD) of the Republic of Armenia. The long-term observation mission involves previously trained 61 observers and a legal consulting team consisting of 26 lawyers.

The long-term observation mission of the election campaign aims to assess the situation of providing during the election campaign equal opportunities for the nominated political parties and alliances in compliance with the requirements of the RA Electoral Code and to promote the democratization of the election processes through identifying and presenting the activities of the election campaign participants and the obstacles they face during such activities.

The election campaign was observed through the methodology below:

1. interviews with the representatives of all the political parties and alliances, candidates and participants of campaign events and rallies;

2. observing the election campaign rallies and meetings of candidates of political parties and alliances;

3. recording the incidents occurring during the election campaign;

4. examining the incidents voiced by the media during the election campaign

5. assessing the identified violations based on the legislative acts and by-laws on elections.

The interim report covers some 314 interviews with the representatives, heads and authorized persons of the district campaign headquarters of the political parties and alliances and their district candidates and campaign managers. A total of 50 election campaign rallies, events and meetings of the candidates of political parties and alliances were observed. 217 participants of the election campaign rallies and meetings were interviewed. The Report sums up information collected based on alerts of 238 incidents and violations.

See the full report here