called a referendum on constitutional
"reforms" and laid the groundwork to reinforce and perpetuate his
power in a weakened Armenia. Currently in his second and final term as
President, these changes are designed to enable him to retain power as Prime
Minister or Speaker of the Parliament. No wonder that the results of the
referendum were rigged. Thanks to the opposition and civil society efforts, the
law enforcement authorities have had to file dozens of criminal cases on
numerous electoral frauds during the referendum.

None of these criminal
proceedings have been initiated as a result of the intervention by the Police
or National Security Service. And this all happened despite the fact that the
opposition parties are not funded from any sources, except the annual state
financial subsidy of a mere 7–10 thousand dollars, which is provided by law (other
sourcesis to release those criminals, who will continue
to falsify elections, capture the state, plunder the state budget, and simply sending
to prison those who actively resist these electoral crimes. There are 13
political prisoners in Armenia today. This fact has been unanimously accepted
not only by the opposition and human rights organizations, but also in Eastern
Partnership Civil Society Forum, which has urged Armenia’s authorities to
release them many times.

The reaction
of the West to the rigged referendum last December compared to the 2013
presidential election was tougher. The West, through the US Ambassador
and the Head of EU Delegation to Armenia have demanded the punishment all the
criminals, who committed electoral fraud, and prepare an electoral code with
the involvement of civil society and the opposition, and thus take steps
to restore public trust towards the electoral system.

But