Prime ministerial candidate of the Wings of Unity party Arman Tatoyan released an audio recording during an urgent press conference which, according to him, “clearly demonstrates how students are being forced to participate in the Civil Contract party’s election campaign events.”

Tatoyan stated that the recording concerns the Armavir Regional State College, Panorama.am reported.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is currently in Armavir Province as part of the election campaign.

The recording includes the following remarks:

“Dear students, good evening. Tomorrow at 5 p.m. we need to gather at Red Club Square. This applies to both courses.

I understand we have students coming from villages, that’s not a problem, a few absences are fine, but those who have the opportunity to come, especially residents of the city, I will also be there. Please be at the square at 5 p.m. I was instructed to tell you, and now I am instructing you. Let it not happen that I go and stand in the square and see that no one from my two groups is there. I need to save face before my administration, and you before me. We were also instructed that there should be as many of you as possible.”

In the recording, students can be heard saying they know Nikol Pashinyan is coming to Armavir.

“I know many things too. Let’s not politicize this or write unnecessary things. We were told we are going to the square, that’s it. At 5 p.m. in the square. Why was what I said so difficult to understand? I said don’t politicize it, don’t write unnecessary things. This is not something for you and me to discuss,” the lecturer says in response to students.

The “Hayastan” alliance also stated that it had received information according to which employees of state and local self-government bodies are being pressured to vote for the ruling party under threat of dismissal in the June 7 elections.

In a statement, the alliance announced the launch of a fact-finding initiative regarding alleged cases of electoral coercion.

“Taking into account the bias recorded in legal proceedings, we ask individuals sounding the alarm, whenever possible, to collect evidence of violations, including data identifying persons making threats, as well as information recorded through audio and video devices.

We emphasize that coercing individuals to vote by abusing official authority constitutes a criminal offense punishable by four to eight years in prison. We call on officials to refrain from criminal actions.

At the same time, we remind voters that voting is secret, and violating ballot secrecy is a crime. No one has the right or the ability to control your vote,” the statement said.

The alliance also published a legal hotline number: +374 95 273399 (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Signal).