Self-nominated presidential candidate, chairman of the “Radio Hay” Board Andrias Ghukasyan, plans to go on a hunger strike to protect his and the society’s electoral rights. “In the event of the failure to invalidate the registration of the candidate nominated by the ruling party until the date of the elections, I will consider that the election rights of the society and myself are violated,” he wrote in the address to the President of Central Electoral Commission, Tigran Mukuchyan.
“‘Even though the RA Electoral code does not specify that the election of the President of the Republic of Armenia should be free, they should be such in order to be real. The mistrust of the population towards the election underestimated the value of the national will as the basis of power.
The RA citizen, to this date, does not have due knowledge about the State’s positive obligation for the full realization of his/her election rights. The State has not informed the citizen that no one has a right to force him/her to vote for a particular candidate, and that those actions are criminally punishable.
Under the conditions of the lack of the appropriate information, a considerable part of the population identifies the ruling political force with the State and does not know that in the elections that State appears separately from the political forces and keeps neutrality.
As the international commitment of the State to conduct free and real elections is not clearly defined by law, the electoral rights of the citizens are not guaranteed, and the implementation of that right completely depends on the will of the ruling party.
Combining this reality with the fact that starting from 2008 the formation of electoral legislation and the conduct of the actions directed at the strengthening of the public confidence in the election has been dependent exceptionally on the ruling party, it is impossible not to come to the conclusion that the ruling force abuses its power inside the State and is not a good competitor for other candidates.
No democracy is possible, if the expression of public will, which is reflected in the election records contradicts the position of the majority. This is false democracy and fabricated elections.
I think, that the realization of the highest electoral right is possible only if the participation of the candidate of the ruling party is excluded.
I’m sure that the study of international experience by the members of the CEC will bring them to the conclusion that the State has the right to deprive the candidate of the opportunity to participate in the elections, if that participation is a threat to public interest.
I’m sure, that the absence of the letter of law cannot be an obstacle to the honest and law-abiding citizens, to establish the political situation that should have been if the law existed.
In case of the failure to cancel the registration of the candidate of the ruling force until the start of the election campaign, I’ll consider that my and the society’s electoral right is violated.
My political duty dictates to declare a hunger strike for the protection of that right,” the statement reads.
