YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Representatives of the human rights organization "Sakharov’s Fund for Human Rights–Democracy and Mercy" gave a negative assessment of the statement of the five presidential candidates who prior to election returns–called the vote not free and unfair.
Chairman of the Fund Levon Nersessian noted that it is necessary to observe moral criteria and have enough facts to make such an accusation. According to him–presidential candidates who issued the statement have violated the principle of presumption of innocence–presenting unproven accusations.
Nersessian said that by issuing the statement–the five presidential candidates violated the law on election of president of Armenia as the statement was made before the process was over.
He also drew attention to the fact that the statement was signed by those candidates who as members of the National Assembly refused to allow domestic observers to participate in the election. In particular–he said that the parliamentary faction of the National-Democratic Union was against allowing domestic observers to monitor the vote.
According to the head of the Fund’s Shirak-based office Seyran Martirossian–the analysis of the vote in the Shirak region conducted on the basis of information provided by independent media–and personal observations–the election in the region were free and fair.