ODIHR deploys election observation mission to Armenia

YEREVAN, 10 January 2008 - The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) opened an election observation mission today for the presidential election in Armenia on 19 February.

The mission, headed by Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, will consist of 11 core staff based in Yerevan and 28 long-term observers who will be deployed throughout the country on 15 January. Members of the core team and long-term observers are drawn from 22 OSCE participating States.

The ODIHR will request that 250 short-term observers be deployed immediately prior to the election. They will monitor the opening of polling stations, the voting, the counting of ballots, and the tabulation of results.

The mission will assess the electoral process in terms of its compliance with OSCE commitments for democratic elections, other international standards, and national legislation. It will focus on the election campaign, the legislative framework and its implementation, the media situation, the performance of the election administration and relevant government bodies, and the resolution of election-related disputes.

The observation mission and the OSCE Office in Yerevan operate separately under their specific mandates.