Orinats Yerkir party against use of ID cards for voting
27.10.2015,
10:51
Heghine Bisharyan, an MP from Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) party, objected yesterday to a set of changes, designed to amend the law on ID cards and another law on election code which equate ID cards and ordinary passports of citizens during voting.
YEREVAN, October 27. / ARKA /. Heghine Bisharyan, an MP from Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) party, objected yesterday to a set of changes, designed to amend the law on ID cards and another law on election code which equate ID cards and ordinary passports of citizens during voting. However, there is one exception - in contrast to passports, ID cards will not be stamped to indicate a person’s participation in the vote.
According to Ms. Bisharyan, this change violates human rights allowing the use of double standards in relation to citizens; in particular, holders of passports will have their residence checked and their passports stamped, while this will not apply to holders of ID cards.
"As a matter of fact, it will be a breach of law and use of double standards that cast doubt on the whole process of the referendum on constitutional reforms,’ Bisharyan said.
According to her, to eliminate this ambiguous situation the government should assist holders of ID cards to obtain passports with which they should go to polling stations.
Another MP from the Orinats Yerkir, Mher Shahgeldyan, said the proposed changes would reduce the transparency of electoral processes. He said more than 500 thousand Armenian citizens have ID cards, and only 176,000 do not have passports.
"I think that the government can afford providing paper passports to these 176,000 citizens," Shahgeldyan said, saying also that their party is against these changes.
According to human rights defender Karen Andreasyan, the proposed changes can be reviewed from the point of a person’s rights, but not as use of double standards or violation of human rights.
"Personally, I have both a passport and an ID card and I can use any to vote. It is my personal choice that does not violate my rights. However, there is the risk of repeat vote, which must be excluded,’ Andreasyan said.
The referendum on constitutional reforms proposing a shift from the so-called semi-presidential form of government to parliamentary republic is scheduled for December 6. M.V. -0-
According to Ms. Bisharyan, this change violates human rights allowing the use of double standards in relation to citizens; in particular, holders of passports will have their residence checked and their passports stamped, while this will not apply to holders of ID cards.
"As a matter of fact, it will be a breach of law and use of double standards that cast doubt on the whole process of the referendum on constitutional reforms,’ Bisharyan said.
According to her, to eliminate this ambiguous situation the government should assist holders of ID cards to obtain passports with which they should go to polling stations.
Another MP from the Orinats Yerkir, Mher Shahgeldyan, said the proposed changes would reduce the transparency of electoral processes. He said more than 500 thousand Armenian citizens have ID cards, and only 176,000 do not have passports.
"I think that the government can afford providing paper passports to these 176,000 citizens," Shahgeldyan said, saying also that their party is against these changes.
According to human rights defender Karen Andreasyan, the proposed changes can be reviewed from the point of a person’s rights, but not as use of double standards or violation of human rights.
"Personally, I have both a passport and an ID card and I can use any to vote. It is my personal choice that does not violate my rights. However, there is the risk of repeat vote, which must be excluded,’ Andreasyan said.
The referendum on constitutional reforms proposing a shift from the so-called semi-presidential form of government to parliamentary republic is scheduled for December 6. M.V. -0-
