Epress.am News from Armenia
Yerevan resident Arpine Galfayan demanded on December 6, during the nationwide referendum on Serzh Sargsyan-initiated constitutional amendments, at 10/12 polling station that her name be removed from the voter list. Earlier, the citizen had applied with the same request to the Armenian police, claiming she did not want to legitimize the “fictitious process” with her participation, but to no avail.
Members of the electoral commission also refused to comply with her request on the grounds that they were not authorized to do so. Galfayan then crossed out the space provided on the voter list for her signature since the commission member had covered the citizen's name with her hand. The protester's actions angered another commission member, who started yelling and threatening to call the police.
Galfayan replied that she was only trying to protect her right and left the voting precinct.
Talking to Epress.am, Galfayan said she had initially been uncertain about voting in the referendum: “Even if I voted 'no,' it wouldn't have mattered since [the referendum] has been rigged.
“Having received no reply from the Police, I decided to go to the polling station and cross out my name with my own hand. I realize that this will not change anything, but it's a matter of dignity. I don't want to be part of a process which originally aims to manipulate the citizens.”