Epress.am News from Armenia
The Republic of Armenia Administrative Court rejected former MP, businessman and opposition member Khachatur Sukiasyan’s lawsuit against the No. 10 Territorial Electoral Commission, asking the Court to annul the Commission’s decision not to accept Sukiasyan’s application for candidacy in the May 6 parliamentary election.
Sukiasyan, who is backed by the Armenian National Congress, finds that the RA Administrative Court didn’t issue an objective ruling and didn’t protect his right to vote, by not abolishing the violations of his right to vote.
Sukiasyan’s attorneys are now reviewing the option of taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Recall, the reason cited for not registering Sukiasyan’s candidacy was a notice from the RA Police Passport and Visa Department stating that Sukiasyan is ineligible to run in the election because he hasn’t been permanently residing in Armenia during the past 5 years, a requirement defined in the RA Constitution.
Sukiasyan, however, refutes this claim, explaining that to “reside permanently” means to “reside principally” and if the police insist that Sukiasyan was absent for 10 months and 20 days in the past 5 years, how is this considered not “residing permanently” in the country? Consider that in a 5-year period, which is 60 months, 10 months and 20 days is about 18 percent.
In the given constituency, Sukiasyan’s brother, Saribek Sukiasyan, has been nominated instead.