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.