IYC Preliminary Report

It’s Your Choice, the country’s largest domestic election observation organization, has made its preliminary report on the 19 February presidential election in Armenia available on their web site.

In spite of the peaceful environment in most of the polling-stations, sufficient knowledge of electoral commission members, legality during the voting and calculation processes in a substantial number of polling stations, the IYC observed a series of violations, shortcomings, inaccuracies, and other concerning facts which to a certain extent cast a shadow to our expectations about democratic elections. Despite the fact that during the pre-election period our organization applied to the parties involved in the electoral process to demonstrate tolerance and ensure legality of elections, certain negative patterns continued to exist on Election Day.

Specifically, the restriction of the rights of poll-watchers and mass media representatives, attempts of violence against them, cases of scuffling and mutual offences, pressure on PEC members, party proxies and mass media representatives on part of neighborhood authorities, cases of illegal influence on the free will of voters, deliberate ignoring of certain procedures, and inappropriate presence of police and unauthorized people at the polling stations all contributed to concerns and may have deepened the voters’ disappointment in the electoral process and impacted the integrity of the electoral process.

The full preliminary report is here.