Badri Japaridze Speaks Out Against Election Results
Badri Japaridze, a leader of the “Strong Georgia” coalition, has responded to the OSCE/ODIHR’s conclusion on the recent elections in Georgia. He stated that based on the document, it is clear that democratic elections did not take place.
Many serious violations were recorded by OSCE/ODIHR during all stages of the electoral process, including the pre-election period, election day, and post-election period. These included voter coercion, intimidation, and force, especially targeting vulnerable citizens and public officials.
Japaridze described the OSCE/ODIHR conclusion as “unprecedentedly negative”. He highlighted numerous violations that prove the election results are illegitimate. He pointed out that none of the complaints filed before the election were seriously considered by the public commission or courts.
According to Japaridze, at 24% of polling stations where OSCE/ODIHR observers were present, the secrecy of the vote was not respected. This means the fundamental rights of voters were violated.
He also stated that the cameras installed by ‘Georgian Dream’ were directed at the vote-counting machines, and the arrangement of the ballots in the machines made it clear who citizens voted for. This too violated the fundamental rights of voters.
After the election day, 1,200 complaints submitted to the election commissions and courts were not seriously addressed. Japaridze said this shows that these institutions are under the control of ‘Georgian Dream’ and their independence is practically zero.
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