On 23 September – on the day of the elections of the Yerevan City Council, the Armenian Human Rights Defender's Office received 23 calls by the hotline as of 15:00.
The working group, formed by the Defender’s order, examined more than 600 publications which appeared on media and the social networks today.
The calls to the hotline related to the inaccessibility of polling stations for persons with disabilities, the possibility of electing with an identification card, not receiving the information sheets, etc.
In addition, this morning, a citizen made a telephone call to the hotline of the Defender’s Office and provided information that the previous evening, he had been detained in the Police division of Mashtots of the Republic of Armenia on suspicion of bribing voters and had been forcibly kept there till 06:00 AM.
In regard to this issue, the Defender's Office initiated a discussion procedure to take the necessary steps on the basis of the report. Ms. Naira Zohrabyan - a deputy of the National Assembly and a candidate for Mayor of Yerevan - also reported on this case to the Human Rights Defender.
The publications on media and on the social networks related to the furnishings of polling places, the behavior of the members of the commission, and so on. There were recorded issues over guaranteeing the secrecy of voting, in particular, cases of photographing and dissemination of ballots. There were also publications, recorded about the gatherings near the electoral precincts and “guiding” the voters in the ballot process.
Particular attention was paid to information on possible obstacles to the work of journalists and observers.
Please be reminded that the Human Rights Defender's Office has 24-hour hotline – at 116 or (096) 116100 - which provides citizens with legal help and, if necessary, rapidly responds to alleged violations and problems.