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Article 18
 

1. The state ensures the free implementation of citizens’ pre-election campaign. The pre-election campaign is exercised on equal basis. It is ensured by the state bodies, for the purpose of organization of pre-election meetings, meetings of candidates with the electorate and other events related to elections, by providing them halls and other premises, upon the request of electoral commissions. They are provided to the candidates and parties, running in elections, on equal basis, free of charge, in accordance with the timetable and procedures established by the Central Electoral Commission.

2. Citizens, parties, party alliances (hereinafter party) of the Republic of Armenia have the right to campaign for or against any candidate or party, by means not prohibited by law.

3. The candidates and parties are guaranteed equal conditions for access to mass media broadcasting time or size, price, etc.

4. It is forbidden to conduct the pre-election campaign and to disseminate campaign documents of any kind to:

1) State and local self-governing bodies, as well as their staff while performing their official duties;

2) Members and Judges of the Constitutional Court, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Security, officials of the Prosecutor's office, and the military;

3) Charitable and religious organizations;

4) Foreign citizens and organizations.

5. The pre-election campaign commences on the day following the last day envisaged for the registration of candidates and parties, and ends on the day prior to the day of voting. Any election campaign is prohibited on the day of voting and the day prior to it. Campaign documents, which are not at the precinct center, stay during the day of voting in their places.

6. Pre-election campaign can be held through mass media, through electoral public events (such as pre-election rallies and meetings with electorate, public electoral discussions, debates, rallies, marches) by printing publications, disseminating audiovisuals.

7. During the pre-election campaign candidates and parties are banned from giving (promising) - personally or through other means - money, food, bonds, and goods to citizens free of charge or on privileged terms or rendering (promising) services.

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** (Chapter 3 1 was added: July 31, 2002 LA-406-P).

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8. The candidates and the parties are bound to observe the procedures for organization of the pre-election campaign. Electoral Commissions oversee the observance of the established procedure of the pre-election campaign. In the event of violation of the procedures the commission that has registered the candidate or the party, appeals to the relevant bodies, in order to prevent them, as well as to the Court – to declare the registration of that candidate or party electoral list out of force. The Court, after receiving such appeals from electoral commissions, has to pass a judgement within five days period, and in case they are received within five days prior to the day of voting - immediately.

9. The arrested or detained candidates carry out their pre-election campaign through their proxies. For that purpose, in the period of the pre-election campaign, the arrested and detained candidates have the right of having daily meetings, for up to two hours, with not more than three proxies, at the institutions that have the right to hold the arrested or the detained.

(Amend. of March 23, 1999 LA-286; July 31, 2002 LA-406-P