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Article 20
 

The Campaign During the Preparation for Referendum

 

1. In relation to the issue submitted to referendum the right to campaign by means and manners not prohibited by law belongs to citizens, parties and non-governmental unions of Republic of Armenia.

 

2. The state guarantees the free implementation of campaign regarding the issue submitted to referendum.

 

3. The campaign begins on the day when the referendum is appointed and ends one day prior to the day of voting.

 

4. The posters posted not in the precinct center can be left in their place on the voting day and on the day prior to it.

 

5. The bellow mentioned cannot campaign:

a. State and local self-governing bodies, as well as their staff while performing their official duties

b. Members of the Constitutional Court and Judges, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Security, officials (staff) of the Prosecutor's office, and the military.

c. Charitable and religious organizations

d. foreign citizens and organizations

 

6. The campaign can be conducted through mass media, through public campaign events (such as meetings and gatherings, public discussions, debates, rallies, marches and demonstrations) by printing publications, disseminating audiovisuals.

 

7. The persons eligible for campaigning can publish and disseminate posters, papers and other printed campaign materials by means not prohibited by law.

 

8. The community leader, not later than within five days after the assignment of the referendum, allocates special places for display of campaign posters. The community leaders pursue that the posters displayed in special places are not torn. These places should be convenient for voters' visiting. In every precinct there should be not less than one place of that kind.

 

9. During the announcement of the results of the public polls on the issue submitted to referendum the mass media is obliged to mention the name of the organization that conducted the poll, the time of the conduct of the poll, the number of the people questioned for the poll (the voting mode), the means for collecting the information, the correct formulation of the question, the assessment of possible statistical inaccuracies. It is forbidden to publish the results of the public polls on the issue submitted to referendum within the last three days of the campaign.

 

10. Printed campaign materials shall contain information on the organizations and people that are responsible for the publication, as well as information on the printing company and the quantity.

 

11. It is forbidden:

a) To disseminate anonymous printed campaign materials. Whenever anonymous or false printed campaign materials are found, the informed Commission takes measures to prevent such activities and addresses the relevant bodies in order to eliminate the illegal activities.

b) 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 during the stage of campaign.

c) To influence citizens eligible for participation in referendum orally or in written form, through music or visual means, to collect signatures, as well as to campaign on the issue submitted to referendum in other ways on the voting day and the day prior to it, within the precinct center or in its vicinity, as well as right at its entrance.

d) To publish the result of voting of a citizen who participated in the referendum before the voting has finished

e) To assemble in groups on the voting day in the area surrounding the precinct center, in the radius of 50 meters.

 

12. The referendum commissions oversee the conformity of the procedure defined for the campaign. In case of its violation the commissions may apply to the competent bodies for preventing them, as well as to the court for holding the person eligible for campaigning liable according to the procedure defined by law.