On December 6, 2015 during the constitutional referendum “Citizen Observer” Initiative received a report from Meline Avagyan, representative of Asparez.am news online (hereinafter referred to as Asparez) and Ani Gevorgyan, representative of “Europe in Law Association” NGO who monitored referendum in No. 19/15 precinct. According to the report they were banned by the members of No. 19/15 Precinct Commission from effectively observing the signed voter lists, in particular they were banned from being introduced to the voter lists and taking notes about them in their paper. In view of the filed report and having the authority to speak for Meline Avagyan, the attorneys of “Citizen Observer” Initiative filed an application to Central Referendum Commission on her behalf telling that the right of mass media representative to effectively monitor the voter lists was violated and requested that the violation be eliminated.

On December 7, 2015, the Prosecutor General’s office disseminated information (http://www.aravot.am/2015/12/07/636987), which reads the following: “T. Mukuchyan informed that while checking the information by himself personally on the application filed on behalf of reporter Meline Avagyan of Asparez.am news online, it turned out that the presented facts did not correspond to reality. She did not ask anyone to file an application on her behalf and had sent an SMS on the mentioned case.”

On December 7, 2015, in order to clarify the content of this statement Meline Avagyan, representative of Asparez.am news online was got in touch. In a talk with us she informed that on December 6, 2015, during the voting day, Tigran Mukuchyan personally called her to say that an application was sent to the Central Referendum Commission on her behalf with a mention that she was intimidated in No. 19/15 precinct and other “bad things”. The representative of Asparez informed Tigran Mukuchyan that nothing of the kind happened. In response to it the latter made the reporter call “the entire electoral thing” (we cite literally) and inform that no such thing happened.

In a telephone conversation with us Meline Avagyan confirmed that they were indeed banned from monitoring the voter lists and taking notes from them, for the reason that they hinder the work of the Commission and should wait and make noted after the completion of the referendum process.

Actually, Tigran Mukuchyan, Chairman of the Central Referendum Commission, instead of responding to the violations recorded during the referendum began to personally call mass media representatives and taking advantage of their inexperience, exerted pressure on them by misinforming and deluding them, in particular, talking of things which had nothing to do with the content of the application, that they are pressed and intimidated, thus making them refuse their applications.

“Citizen Observer” Initiative strictly condemns such behavior of Tigran Mukuchyan, Chairman of the Central Referendum Commission and appeal him to carry out the authority reserved to him by law, in particular to pursue effective examination of the violations recorded during the December 6 constitutional referendum and to take respective measures to bring the perpetrators of violations to account.