“Besh, Besh (Five in Azerbaijan language) was heard at the polling stations # 38 and # 39 in Karajala village all day long. The observer of the Human Rights Center Tamar Kviriashvili monitored the election procedures at the polling stations during 18 hours on May 30, 2010 (see photo 1,2,3).(see fotos http://www.ick.ge/ka/photogalleries/1538-2010-05-31-11-57-39.html)
About 3 000 voters were registered at the both polling stations in the village of Karajala. The polling station # 38 was located in the building of the nursery school and voters could see the paintings of the children after voting (see photo 4). However, you could not see any instructions how to fill in the ballot paper in the election booth (see photo 5, 6, 7). Tamar Kviriashvili observed several violations and wrote complaints on them. All her complaints were followed by threats.
First Complaint and First Threats – 8:13 am, May 30, 2010
Tamar Kviriashvili wrote first complaint in the polling station # 38 in Karajala village because people were checked by ultra-violet lamp in the wrong place. A registrar got irritated at the activities of the observer (see photo N 8) and told Tamar: “My son is Zurab Svimonishvili, director of the SilkNet in Gurjaani; so you will not have telephone tomorrow.”
Second Complaint and Second Threat – 11:15 am, May 30, 2010
Observer of the Human Rights Center Tamar Kviriashvili saw that voters were marked in the wrong place in the PS # 38 and wrote second complaint. At this time, the registrar brought one-meter-long ruler, measured two meters from the registration table and warned the observer to sit two meters away from their table and not to move from there (photo 9).
Third Complaint and Third Threat – 1:00 pm, May 30, 2010
Tamar Kviriashvili wrote the third complaint when the observer of the Labor Party accompanied the portable ballot box; though he did not have corresponding document to prove that he represented the party (photo 10). Besides the observer of the Human Rights Center, there were 5 more observers from other organizations in the polling station # 38; however they did not wrote any complaints. Tamar’s protest was followed by the next threat. The chairwoman of the commission at the PS # 38 Mrs. Elza told Tamar: “You are writing groundless complaints! Now, all 13 commission members will write complaint on you and we will dismiss you from here!” The chairwoman could not write any complaint because the observer acted in accordance to the law (photo 11).
Forth Complaint and Khinkali at the Polling Station – 5:16 pm, May 30, 2010
There were no instructions for the voters pasted in the polling station # 39 in Karajala village. The observer of the Human Rights Center wrote the forth complaint on the fact. Meanwhile, Tamar Kviriashvili saw that strange people tried to drop extra ballot papers into the box. The observer gave remark to the fabricator and it caused disorder. Suddenly, Tamar felt somebody grabbed her arm and took her out of the polling station; soon Tamar was outside the polling station but she managed to take photo of commission members who were eating Khinkali in the polling station # 39 (photo N 12, 14, 15). The representative of the Central Election Commission was served with Khinkali in the PS (photo 13).
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