Elections in Samegrelo under Cloud of Murder and Unexplained Explosions

Ketino Gejadze, the Human Rights Center observer spotted several election violations in the precincts # 100 and # 64 of Rukhi village, Zugdidi election district # 67. One of the observers in the precinct # 100 overheard a conversation in the Mengrelian language between the PEC chairperson and the member of the Christian- Democratic Party. The Chairperson was offering the party representative to insert an additional 50 ballots in the mobile box and to round that number out with 50 ballots in the main ballot box. The observer of our organization took exception to the information that he had heard and wrote a corresponding complaint.

The chairperson was rather discontent with the observer’s complaint. He immediately called the police and banished the observer from the precinct # 100. A large number of police officers were then mobilized at the precincts # 100 and # 64 (just across the road from each other). They then applied severe pressure on PEC members, the voters themselves and well as observers representing NGOs. There were some reported instances of voting with expired IDs and there were IDs presented that did not now show any addresses.

The chairpersons of the PECs # 9 and #32 banished the observers from the precincts for have made it known that they planned to bring to light was had transpired and make a written statement. Also, the lights were turned off and for a time there wasn’t any light in the election booths. This made it difficult for voters as the printed ballot papers were very faded so that it was difficult to read names of the list of candidates and political parties. Even the trace of the UV invisible ink would quickly disappear within the span of approximately 2 hours.

A man was killed in the village of Obuji, Tsalenjikha district at 10 o’clock in the morning. The shot is attributed from a hunting weapon, which killed Geronti Katsia; he died on spot. The daughter of Geronti Katsia was injured in the shooting. Katsia was considered to be the supporter of the opposition parties. Opposition party leaders state that this was actually a political murder.

A bus moving from Nabakevi to Zugdidi exploded at Khurcha. The reasons for explosion have not been estimated yet. Nana Kardava, the principal of Nabakevi School and the inhabitants of Nabakebi were driving to Zugdidi to cast their votes. Nana Kardava suffered a bullet wound; she also received multiple physical injuries. Her health condition is considered to remain critical for the time being.

 It is reported that there were others in the bus that were also injured. They are claimed to be inhabitants of Khurcha and not Nabakevi (Gali district), in the breakaway region of Abkhazia

It now appears that they had been hired by the government and special services to create the scene to show the people were trying to come from Nabakebi to participate in the elections but their effort was blocked with the use of brute force.