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Kakheti’s observer struck by chair – voters frightened by criminals recently released from the prison

May 21, 2008

1.Lagodekhi   Election District # 15, Kabali polling station # 18 – head of commission and members assaulted observers of the Human Rights Centre. Observer was demanding to file a complaint on the fact that election ballots were taken out from the polling station, despite this, commission chairperson of the polling station # 18  was found having 12 summary protocols, all of them were filled in advance.

After detecting this violation, commission chairperson hit observer a chair. Because of mobilized criminals, recently released from prison are threatening observers with threat of death, the Human Rights Centre pulled observers from several polling stations in Kakheti region. Before that, observers had applied to police officers but in vain.


2. Nugzar Abulashvili and Guram Kakalashvili, the single mandate candidates of Lagodekhi and Sighnaghi districts, visited polling stations in accompany of about ten people, some of who had been recently released from prison. They entered polling stations, namely voting booths, and oppressed and abused commission members and observers. In Sighnaghi, on Sakobo’s polling station, Nugzar Abulashvili with support of police officers, twisted Nodar Kutibashvili’s (commission member from the United Opposition ) hand and expelled him from the PS under force.  In case of returning to the PS Nodar Kutibashvili is threatened to be killed. In Sighnaghi, at  PS in the village of Bodbiskhevi, commission member from Republican Party, Tengiz Bezhashvili, noticed falsified ballots before throwing them in the election box and took it from voter. Massive falsification of election is planned after 4 hours.

Tension observed in at the PS # 36 in Upper Lambalo. TV Operator who recorded  commission member with hundreds of identity cards was beaten twice. Group of strong young people is permanently participating in such quarrels.

One of the seals disappeared, observers doubt, it was used to falsify ballots. As commission members defined, they needed seal for voters voting with mobile election box. Though procedures needed to take away seal from the PS has not taken place. Later the disappeared seal was found, though observers, sooner, found prepared stamped ballots. Complaint was prepared by the “Human Rights Centre”, but the head of commission refuses to accept it. This incident became reason for quarrel, they threatened centre representative and insulted him. In the surrounding area, nearly 15 mini-buses was moving around, this mini-buses took people from one to another polling stations.

              
“The Human Rights Centre”

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