The Constitutional Court continues today, on 12 July, the examination of the applications to challenge the results of the 20 June extraordinary elections.

The Head of the Executive Body of the “Awakening” National-Christian Party Ara Zohrabyan asked a question to the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Tigran Mukuchyan, starting the question as follows: “With your active participation, the presidential elections in 2013 were rigged.”

Tigran Mukuchyan tried to interrupt him, in response to which Ara Zohrabyan mentioned, “These words are not mine, such words were sounded on 10.09.2013, at the sitting of the National Assembly, Nikol Pashinyan addressed that question to Mr. Mukuchyan. Now my question is the following, Mr. Mukuchyan, were the 2013 presidential elections rigged or not? ”

The Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission said that in his opinion, every question should refer to this trial, therefore, what happened during which election, there was a constitutional dispute in the results, there is a decision of the Constitutional Court, and all the assessments have been given. “Our answer to that question was clearly voiced,” he said.

Ara Zohraban clarified why he was asking such a question, noting that in the previous sittings it was recorded that the same texts that referred to the previous elections were included in Mukuchyan’s answer. “That’s why I want to see that general logical connection. In any case, you do not claim that there was no fraud,” Zohrabyan said. Tigran Mukuchyan gave a negative answer, no, there was no falsification.

It should be added that the Zartonk (Awakening) National Christian Party  distinguished violations of the basic principles of suffrage enshrined in the Constitution, such as violations of freedom and equality, free expression of the free will of voters, violation of secrecy of the ballot, directing voters, their accumulation of state functions, and etc.

It should be reminded that “Armenia”, “I have the Honor”, “Awakening” and “ Armenians’ Homeland” parties are disputing the election results. Their applications are considered in a single joint case.

Judge of the Constitutional Court Edgar Shatiryan has been appointed rapporteur on the case. The respondent is the CEC, the body that records the election results. Related defendants are the RA Prosecutor’s Office, the Police and the Television and Radio Commission.