Representatives of three opposition parties appealing the May 12 election
outcomes have left the Constitutional Court to show their protest over what they
allege to be a judicial farce and prejudgment.

Orinats Yerkir, Hanrapetutyun and New Times representatives made their
concluding speeches on Friday before leaving the courtroom.

They followed the example of Nikol Pashinian of the Impeachment bloc who
resorted to the step the previous day without making concluding remarks.

The three radical opposition groups, including Hanrapetutyun, New Times and
Impeachment, have been demanding that the court invalidate the official figures
and order a rerun of the party-list voting. The fourth applicant, the Orinats
Yerkir Party of former parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian, has sought a
recount of ballots in some 200 polling stations across the country.

All had little hope the Court would sustain their claims before applying, but
claimed to have ample evidence for their cases.

“This is another time that we’ve witnessed a farce in court when political
rather than constitutional justice is administered. And we see no point in our
further participation in the proceedings,” Orinats Yerkir’s Artashes Avoyan said
addressing the court.

“I express my regret to the Constitutional Court in connection with its formal
approach to this case,” New Times party representative Ruben Torosian said. “I
am also leaving the courtroom and have no desire to listen to the Constitutional
Court’s verdict.”

Concluding his lengthy speech, Hanrapetutyun party representative Artak
Zeynalyan once again urged the high court to invalidate the Central Election
Commission’s May 19 decision that officially confirmed the results of last
month’s parliamentary vote.

Respondents and co-respondents in the case, who spoke already in the absence of
the opposition representatives, urged the Court to turn the appeals down.

After listening to the sides, the Court retired to the deliberation chamber.

Under Armenian law, the Constitutional Court has to deliver a verdict on the
appeals by June 10.

By Hovannes Shoghikian