Despite Laws, Disabled Voters Face Barriers at Polls

2009-06-13

Unison held a news conference on the outcomes of observation mission of Yerevan municipal elections of 31 May 2009. The organization’s observed the voting process at all of the 53 polling stations in Kentron (Center) community of Yerevan. The provisions of the Armenian Electoral Code securing the rights of voters with disabilities were widely ignored. Only 2 of the observed polling stations were relatively accessible to wheelchair users. The right to secret vote of people with visual and mental disabilities was also mostly violated. Unison’s observers also reported numerous violations of the voting procedures, ballot counting, etc. A comprehensive report on the observation outcomes was published.