Nino Dolidze is the head of “Fair Elections” and he says that long-term observers throughout the country have received information in recent weeks that people involved in the campaign for the ruling party, including those employed in budget organizations, are trying to exert pressure on voters in various ways.
She said that the activists of the ruling parties, for a variety of reasons, ask some voters to temporarily give them their identity documents.
Since June 1, 2024, the “International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy”, or ISFED, has been monitoring elections and publishing periodic results of pre-election monitor. In recent weeks, longtime observers of the organization across the country have received information that people involved with the election campaign for the ruling party, including those employed in budget organizations, are trying to exert pressure on voters in various ways. “Fair Elections”, refers to alleged violations of law.
Activists from the ruling party ask, for various reasons to hand over the identity documents of some voters (for example, Zugdidi, Borjomi, Khashuri, Lagodekhi, Gurjaani, Kvareli). Under the Criminal Code, it is a crime to obstruct the will of voters during elections. “Fair Elections”, urges voters to not give their identity documents to anyone if the circumstances described above are present.
In some private institutions and budgetary organizations, managers give instructions to their employees to create lists of likely supporters and then hand them over (for example, Tbilisi and Bolnisi; Gurjaani, Kareli; Sagarejo; Kvareli; Telavi and Dedoplistskaro). It is illegal to assign similar tasks to employees and to collect, store and process voter data in this manner. “Fair Elections”, a campaign for fair elections, calls on heads of budgetary organizations and private institutions to refrain from giving illegal task. In such cases, employees have the right to refuse to perform the illegal task received, which does directly derive from their official function”, Dolidze said.
Dolidze claims that activists of the ruling parties offer fuel coupons, products or services in exchange for votes. (For example: Tbilisi, Zugdidi, Akhalkalaki, Kareli, Kaspi, Borjomi, Khashuri).
“Accordingly to Georgian legislation, voter bribery constitutes a criminal offence and imposes legal responsibility on both the person who bribed a voter and the voter bribed. If a voter voluntarily informs the relevant body of his bribery, he will be freed from criminal liability.
Activists from the ruling party have spread information via non-public communication channels, claiming that they can find out through the electronic devices that will be used on election day which party a voter will vote for. (For example: Zugdidi Adigeni Kareli Gori Borjomi Khashuri Lagodekhi Gurjaani Kvareli Dedoplistskaro Telavi). According to the election administration’s statements, the use and counting of votes by machines for voter verification is safe. No one will be able to tell which voter voted which party. The electronic devices used for the verification and counting of the votes are not interconnected, and the ballot papers do not contain any information which could be linked with the ballot paper of an individual voter. “Therefore, the secrecy is guaranteed”, he said.
“Fair Elections”, encourages voters to not give out their personal information and/or identity documents.
“Also we remind the citizens that voting is a secret and it’s impossible to verify the choices of the voter at electronic polling stations.
“Fair Elections”, Dolidze said, calls on the relevant state agencies in order to investigate and take appropriate action regarding the many facts of the alleged violations of the law that were announced at the last press conference.
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