07:32, 10 June 2008

Armenia lost a case against its citizen at the European Court

The European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg has passed a decision against the Republic of Armenia, having recognized illegality of Gagik Sarukhanyan's removal from elections.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that the Court ruled on May 27 that resident of Yerevan Gagik Sarukhanyan had full rights to participate in the parliamentary elections in May 2003. However, Mr Sarukhanyan was rejected as a candidate at the elections under the pretext that his property declaration had been wrongly filled in.

The Court has ruled that the fact that Gagik Sarukhanyan was a co-owner of 64.7 square meters of dwelling area could not affect the will of voters in any way. By rejecting his participation in the elections as a candidate, the electoral commissions of all levels and the justice of Armenia have broken the First Protocol to the Third Convention on the Right of Free Elections.

The Court ruled that the government of the Republic of Armenia should pay 3000 euros as compensation of moral damage to Gagik Sarukhanyan and 1850 euros as legal fees to the Court.

Author: Lilit Ovanisyan, CK correspondent