March 31, 2017 – On Election Day, the Citizen Observer Initiative will have nearly 3400 observers in over 1500 polling stations across Armenia. They have all passed a special training program and will be providing an objective, non-partisan account of the electoral process as it unfolds. Any violations of the electoral code will be recorded in the official register at each polling station and will be communicated to the public using an interactive map.

“We call on citizens to make their voice heard during this important election. Our observers will be monitoring 75% of the ballot boxes. We call on political powers and state agencies to stay clear of questionable tactics. Electing a legislative body is a basic right. If legitimate disputes presented by our lawyers are not properly examined in Armenia’s courts but are subsequently condemned by the European Court of Human Rights, that would come with both legal and political consequences for our republic,” said Lousine Hakobyan at a press conference today in Yerevan.

On April 2, the Citizen Observer Initiative will also have 38 mobile observer teams and 42 teams of lawyers ready to provide counsel and present disputes based on the observers’ findings.

The Initiative will provide regular media updates on election day and also publish information on its website, Facebook and Twitter pages.

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The 2017 parliamentary election observation mission is made possible with funding from the European Union, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tbilisi.