Akanates presents violations recorded during  elections in  Vagharshapat

ArmInfo.  The Akanates ("Observer") observation mission has presented the violations  recorded during the elections to the Council of Elders of the  Vagharshapat community.

A message from the observation mission received by ArmInfo states  that 10 observers from the mission were assigned to mobile groups and  visited all 47 polling stations in the Vagharshapat community. The  work of District Electoral Commission (CEC) No. 14 was also monitored  starting from 7:00 PM. The observers also monitored the general  situation and events at the headquarters and offices of parties and  blocs, as well as in the areas near the polling stations. Overall,  voting proceeded calmly, without any systemic issues or serious  incidents.

Observers had recorded the following violations at various polling  stations: obstruction of observers; obstruction of voters' right to  vote; disclosure of voting information; presence of unauthorized  individuals; crowding of people and vehicles; ballot box problems;  accessibility and equipment issues at polling stations; impartiality  of commission members, and other problems.

"It is important to note that in most of the reported cases,  commission members cooperated with observers and tried to resolve the  issues. Observers documented these issues in the voting protocols at  polling stations," the statement reads.

Akanates also noted that during the election result tabulation at  polling stations No. 14/28 and 14/46, police officers demanded the  electoral commission to provide and share  the voting results   unidentified individuals. "The police also requested and received a  copy of the voting results protocol, which is also not authorized by  law. At polling station No. 14/46, observers from the Hayakve  Observation Mission periodically interfered with the commission's  work and made biased statements against one of the participating  parties, violating the principle of observer neutrality and the  obligation not to interfere.  Additionally, at District Electoral  Commission No. 14, three incidents were recorded (precincts 14/4,  14/14, and 14/19) where the electoral package submitted to the  Central Election Commission was not signed or sealed by the precinct  commission chairperson," the statement reads.

The observation mission is being implemented by the UK Government as  part of  UK International Development Assistance. The views expressed  do not necessarily reflect the official position of the UK  Government.