Armenian Bar Association
President Serzh Sargsyan,
Republic of Armenia
c/o Mr. Vigen A. Sargsyan
Chief of Staff
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
Republic of Armenia
c/o Mr. David Sargsyan
Chief of Staff
Re: 2013 Presidential Election
Dear Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister:
On February 18, 2013, the republic of Armenia will hold its fourth presidential election since its 1991 independence.
Having Armenia’s best interest in mind and holding to a deep belief in certain universal and inalienable rights, among which is the people’s right to self-governance through a representative and legitimate political system, I appeal to you, Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister, to deliver to the Armenian citizenry its constitutional right to free, fair and democratic elections.
We call on you, Mr. President, to see to it that the tragic and abhorrent shooting incident involving presidential candidate Paruir Hayrikyan is fully investigated, the culprits brought to justice, and that no efforts be spared to secure the safety of all presidential candidates.
We welcome President Sargsyan’s repeated commitments before the Armenian people and the international community to hold the “best elections since 1991.” We concur with President Sargsyan’s characterization that free, fair and democratic elections are vital for Armenia’s national security and its ability to prosper.
Since the beginning of the presidential campaign period, we have observed-through press reports, videos and records of eyewitness accounts-apparent improper pressures exerted on members of the public and private sectors compelling them to fall in line, in the absence of free will, and to join in artifices of support, if not to submit to candidate-specific vote-casting directives, in favor of the incumbent Executive leadership.
As has previously been widely reported and accepted in part, both by the opposition and ruling adherents, three types of flows have negatively marked every Armenian election since 1991. While we appreciate the current administration’s commitments, made and announced before its people and the international community, to ensure that the campaign process will be evenhanded and that the election results will be free from manipulation, the specter of past irregularities continues to resonate today in the current election climate and landscape.
We respectfully request that you publicly and clearly instruct and hold accountable all officials and others responsible for organizing, supporting and conducting the upcoming presidential election in a fair, free and democratic manner with the requisite checks and balances. These instructions should unequivocally prohibit irregularities and illegal acts, and the appearances of them, which can only serve to bring discredit and illegitimacy to all of Armenian’s other laudable and positive achievements.
We look forward to working with Armenia’s freely-elected President, as well as with all those in different places along Armenia’s political, professional, and socioeconomic spectrums, in service to our One Nation and One People.
Respectfully,
Garo B. Ghazarian
Chairman
Armenian Bar Association
cc: Hon. Hair Tovmasyan
Minister of Justice
Republic of Armenia
cc: Hon. Grigor Hovhannissian
Consul General, Los Angeles
Republic of Armenia
cc: Vladimir Gasparyan
Chief of Police
Republic of Armenia
cc: Major General Nerses Nazaryan
Chief of Police
Yerevan, Armenia
