OSCE CiO calls for release of people detained during Armenian elections

THE HAGUE, 28 February 2003 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Netherlands Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, expressed his concern about the tensions surrounding the campaign leading up to the second round of presidential elections in Armenia, to be held on 5 March.

The Chairman-in-Office stressed that there is no place for intimidation, violence or unconstitutional action, from any side, in an election campaign.

Also in the interest of defusing tensions ahead of this second round, the CiO calls for the release of people detained because of their involvement in non-violent campaign activities.

Minister de Hoop Scheffer calls on Armenian authorities to respect the commitments under the OSCE Copenhagen Document of 1990, which stipulate that political campaigning "be conducted in a fair and free atmosphere in which neither administrative action, violence nor intimidation bars the parties and the candidates from freely presenting their views and qualifications, or prevents the voters from learning and discussing them or from casting their vote free of fear of retribution".