David Ghazinyan: Barring "Strong Armenia" registration threatens election legitimacy
ArmInfo. The non-registration of the Strong Armenia party means calling the elections themselves into question, as stated by David Ghazinyan, former acting general director of the Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC and a board member of the Strong Armenia party, in an interview with reporters on April 16.
"Even a person who holds the title of the second dictator of the Transcaucasus cannot afford such luxury, because the failure to register Strong Armenia means would cast doubt on the entire electoral process in front of the world. I don't think Armenia is a country where it is simply possible to prevent a force striving for power, a force with 50%+1% of the vote, from participating in elections. In that case, how will the world respond?" he said.
Speaking about today's detentions of party representatives, Ghazinyan noted that he doesn't understand the authorities' behavior. He noted that searches have been underway in the apartments and offices of party representatives since this morning, and that a woman, named Hasmik Amirzadyan, who is on the Strong Armenia election list, has been detained again. "We're quite calm about all of this, not that we didn't expect it. It's just that the authorities don't yet understand that all of this is working against them, because for every person they try to intimidate, another 10 come forward," the party representative said.
It's worth noting that earlier today, lawyer Lusine Martirosyan told reporters that charges have been filed against Strong Armenia party member Hasmik Amirzadyan, and that a preventive measure is being discussed. "I visited my client, Hasmik Amirzadyan, but I have no information about the rest of the legal process or the status of the case. We contacted the Human Rights Defender and the Anti-Corruption Committee hotline, urging them to address this violation and ensure our immediate involvement. Amirzadyan herself denies the charges. She has five adopted minor children, and I hope it will be taken into account," Martirosyan stated.
It should also be noted that, on the morning of April 16, law enforcement officers conducted searches at the homes of Strong Armenia party supporters, after which they were detained.