Working Group to be Established in the Ombudsman's Office Regarding Elections

The processes related to the extraordinary parliamentary elections in the Republic of Armenia will be under the direct attention of the Human Rights Defender. Studies will be conducted, and complaints and applications concerning the Defender's jurisdiction will be discussed. The office of the Human Rights Defender reports that the guarantee of electoral rights is one of the fundamental directions of the Defender's activities. Through this right, democratic institutions and governance systems are formed in the country.

The more free and unimpeded the opportunity to exercise electoral rights, the greater the confidence in the newly formed body as a result of the public expression of the citizen's will. One of the fundamental questions for this purpose is to ensure the exclusion of insult, slander, and hatred, as well as to guarantee a climate of solidarity in the country.

We urge all political forces and public figures to refrain from acts that polarize society and increase tension, and from language that spreads insult or hatred. Public figures, in particular, are obliged to set an example in this regard through their actions and words.

Every process occurring in the country should be unconditionally based on the rule of law. Any initiative must be grounded in human rights. All state bodies and their officials should be aware that it is their direct responsibility to exclude any phenomena leading to tension—insults and hatred, the direct or indirect justification or encouragement of violence.

The main responsibility for ensuring a climate of solidarity, respect for human rights, and for each individual's opinion lies with the state. Observations from the Human Rights Defender's staff show that fake pages and accounts supporting various sides have also become active on social networks. These have been used to post aggressive messages containing insults and even encouraging or justifying violence. These vicious phenomena escalate tensions.

The Human Rights Defender considers the rapid response of law enforcement agencies to issues that fall within their jurisdiction to be crucial. In this regard, the Defender's staff will ensure necessary cooperation and mutual communication with them.

The Human Rights Defender will operate strictly within the limits of their jurisdiction and will work as transparently as possible. It is once again emphasized to everyone's attention that the evaluation of disputes or the consideration of complaints directed against specific individuals or aimed at protecting specific officials does not fall within the Defender's jurisdiction.

The rights of journalists and observers will also be under the direct attention of the Human Rights Defender. Accordingly, a working group will operate within the Human Rights Defender's office, which will function in emergency mode during the pre-election and post-election phases, as well as on the day of voting, carrying out independent monitoring.

On election day, the central and regional units of the Defender’s office will work 24/7 starting from early morning. Rapid responses will be ensured for oral and written complaints addressed to the Defender, including alerts received via the hotlines. Representatives of the working group will be dispatched to those regions or communities where there are no regional units.

Complaints or alerts related to the exercise of electoral rights can be directed to the Defender’s office via hotlines at 116 or (096) 116-100. Necessary cooperation will also be ensured with the Central Electoral Commission and civil society organizations.