OBSERVATION MISSION REPORT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA HELD ON 2 APRIL 2017 Prepared by the Non-Governmental Organisation EUROPE IN LAW ASSOCIATION In the framework of the CITIZEN OBSERVER INITIATIVE YEREVAN ● 2018 OBSERVATION MISSION REPORT PARLIAMENTARY E LECTIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA HELD ON 2 APRIL 2017 Prepared by the Non-Governmental Organisation EUROPE IN LAW ASSOCIATION In the framework of the CITIZEN OBSERVER INITIATIVE YEREVAN ● 2018 Fund ed by the Europ ean Unio n This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Europe in Law Association NGO and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. This Report was produced by the human rights organisation Europe in Law Association in the framework of the Citizen Observer Initiative following and on the basis of the observation mission carried out by Europe in Law Association, the Journalists’ Club ‘Asparez’ and Transparency International Anti-corruption Center. The observation mission was carried out under the project ‘Public Oversight Over 2017 Parliamentary Elections’ funded by the European Union and co-funded by the National Endowment for Democracy, National Democratic Institute and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Georgia. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Europe in Law Association and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union, the National Endowment for Democracy, the National Democratic Institute and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Georgia. The Citizen Observer Initiative was founded in 2013 with a view to overseeing national and local elections and referenda in Armenia and their compliance with domestic law and the international standards of democracy. The website of the Citizen Observer Initiative is https://www.citizenobserver.am/ The website of the Europe in Law Association is http://ela.am 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ACRONYMS .............................................................................. 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... 9 1. ELECTORAL LEGISLATION ..................................................................11 1.1. The Process of Adoption of the New Electoral Code ......................... 11 1.2. The Main Innovations and Issues of the New Electoral Code ............. 17 2. THE OBSERVATION MISSION ..............................................................22 2.1. The Observation Missions and Observers ...................................... 22 2.2. The Goals of the Observation Mission ............................................ 23 2.3. The Observation Mission and the Methodology Thereof .................. 24 2.4. The Results of the Observation ..................................................... 27 2.4.1. The Election Campaign. (the Problems and Violations Registered in the Period Preceding the E-Day) ............................................ 28 2.4.2. Preparation for Voting .............................................................. 33 2.4.3. The Voting ............................................................................... 34 2.4.4. Summarisation of the Results of the Vote .................................... 39 2.4.5. Violations of General Nature ...................................................... 41 2.4.6. Violations of Observers’ Subjective Rights .................................. 41 2.4.7. Problems/Violations Observed in the Aftermath of Voting ............. 42 2.4.8. Some Data Produced by the COI Analytical Team on the Basis of the Voter Lists ............................................................ 44 2.4.9. Observation of TEC Activities ..................................................... 45 3. ELECTION-RELATED COMPLAINTS ...................................................47 3.1. Brief Summary of the Process of Complaints .................................. 47 3.1.1. On the Legal Standing of the Observation Organisations and Observers .......................................................................... 48 3.1.2. On the Violations of Subjective Electoral Rights of Observers ........ 49 3.1.3. The Delivery of Complaints to TECs and the Process of their Handover ..................................................................... 50 3.1.4. Notices on TEC Sessions and Timelimits for Examining the Complaints ......................................................................... 51 3.1.5. Sessions and Decisions of TECs on the Submitted Complaints ....... 53 3.1.6. On Failure to Examine the Fact of Violations (or Parts Thereof) Raised by the Complaints by the Initiative of TECs ........................ 59 4 3.1.7. On the Obstacles to the Right to Appeal the TEC Decisions ........... 60 3.1.8. The Participation and Interference of the CEC with the Activities of the PECs and TECs: Absence of Independence on the Part of TECs .................................................................. 61 3.1.9. On the Complaints Submitted to the CEC and Examination Thereof ................................................................. 62 3.1.10. On the Claims Submitted to the Administrative Court .................. 66 3.1.11. On Protection of the Rights of the “Journalits’ Club “Asparez”” as a Media Outlet ............................ 66 3.1.12. On the Actions Taken by the Bodies in Charge of Criminal Prosecution/ The Law Enforcement ........................................... 67 3.1.13. On the Application Submitted to the RA Constitutional Court ....... 67 3.1.14. On the Electoral Disputes Initiated by the Organisations Participating in Elections Concerning the Elections and the Electoral Results ..................................................................... 68 3.1.15. April 28, 2017 Decision of the Constitunional Court .................... 70 4. CONCLUSION .....................................................................................72 4.1. Amendments to the Electoral Legislation and Practice, the Effectiveness Thereof .............................................................. 72 4.2. Merger of State Functions and Party Interests/ Use of the Administrative Resources to the Advantage of One Party ................. 74 4.3. Violations of the Formation and Expression of the Free Will of Voters (Oversight over the Participation in and the Process of Voting) ........................................................... 74 4.4. On the Innovations Introduced with the Adoption of the New Electoral Code ............................................................ 78 4.5. On the Institute of Complaints ...................................................... 80 4.6. On the System of Electoral Commissions in Charge of Election Administration and the Role of the CEC ........................................ 81 4.7. The Observation Missions ............................................................. 81 5. RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................85 5.1. Ensuring Political Competition ..................................................... 85 5.2. On Electoral Commissions and Election Administration .................. 86 5.3. Accurate Voter Lists ................................................................... 86 5.4. Broader Rights for Observers ..................................................... 87 5.5. Ensuring Effectiveness of Complaints Proccesses ............................ 87 5.6. General Measures ....................................................................... 88 5 LIST OF ACRONYMS ANC Armenian National Congress APP Armenian Peoples’ Party ARF Armenian Revolutionary Federation CC Constitutional Court CEC Central Electoral Commission COI Citizen Observer Initiative EC Electoral Code ELA Europe in Law Association NGO HRD Human Rights Defender JCA Journalists’ Club ‘Asparez’ NGO NA National Assembly NGO Non-Governmental Organisation ODIHR Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights OSCE Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe PAP Prosperous Armenia Party PEC Precinct Electoral Commission RA Republic of Armenia RLP Rule of Law Party RPA Republican Party of Armenia TEC Territorial Electoral Commission TIAC Transparency International Anti-corruption Center NGO 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On 2 April 2017, parliamentary elections were held in Armenia. The territory of the State was divided into 13 constituencies, which, in their turn, were divided into territories apportioned to 38 territorial electoral commissions (hereinafter: TECs) where 2009 polling stations were formed. Four parties and five party alliances stood for elections. In total, the overall number of the proxies representing the parties and party alliances that stood for elections was 22.416. 49 non-governmental organisations monitored the elections with an overall number of observers reaching 28.021. The results of elections were disputed by one party alliance – ANC-APP. On 28.04.2017 the decision of the RA Constitutional Court (hereinafter also: the CC) was pronounced, which along with declaring the results of elections valid, also registered several important findings in the area of ensuring the Armenian citizens’ electoral rights and the development of the electoral system. Three non-governmental organisations monitored the elections to the National Assembly (hereinafter also: