Yerevan, RA
– The Civil Society Institute non-governmental organization, which in the scope
of the Yerevan Municipal Elections 2013 legal initiative is conducting
observation mission in the No. 1 polling station and over the entire area of
capital Yerevan with its 10 legal ambulance cars, states that as of 2 pm, May 5
the elections are being held in extremely tense conditions, as compared to
previous elections carried out in Armenia in the recent years.

Mass voter directions are
observed both inside and outside the polling stations. Psychological and
physical pressure is exerted against the participants of election process,
which are being recorded by observers. All of this is mainly taking place
outside of polling stations in the light of inactivity by the police.

The Civil Society Institute
calls upon the RA Police to prohibit the presence of directing persons, in
groups or individually, in the vicinity of polling stations. Also, we call upon
the Central Electoral Commission to instantly respond to the alarm calls from
polling stations and to take steps to exclude the presence of unauthorized
persons inside polling stations.

Constantly updated information
on the election process, violations recorded by the observers of the Civil
Society Institute and alarm calls received through 080-080-804 hotline can be
found on the Human Rights in Armenia
website, http://hra.am/en/events/2013/05/05/elections