POLITICS
PACE BUREAU DISCUSSES ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
The Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has today discussed the issue on the presidential election in Armenia held on February 19.
Delivering a speech, PACE special rapporteur on Armenia John Prescott said according to the investigations, 28 people were killed during the post-election unrest in Armenia. Eight of them died in the protest rallies held in Yerevan and twenty in hospitals.
According to John Prescott Armenian authorities used all military instruments including grenades against the protestors.
He also stressed violation of law was observed in Armenia during the pre-election campaign, particularly voting and ballot counting process.
“The authorities falsified the election protocols with exerting pressure on members of election commissions. Members of the Council of Europe and OSCE Election Observation Mission registered all these illegal actions” the rapporteur said.
After the debates, the Bureau accepted a decision to lift, in PACE plenary session, the issue regarding the events happened in Armenia after presidential elections.
During the Bureau discussions the parliamentarians proposed to freeze Armenia’s voting right in PACE.
A decision on Armenia is expected to be adopted in the plenary session scheduled for April 17.