Press Release, 07.09.2016

YABLOKO filed 54 complaints of violations to local election commissions and the prosecutor’s office during this election campaign. YABLOKO Chair Emilia Slabunova informed the Central Electoral Commission of this on 7 September. The party is going to summarize all the violations and submit a complaint to the Central Electoral Commission.

“22 complaints were filed in Oryol and the Orel region; 8 in Tatarstan, Kazan and Almetyevsk; 7 in Kalmykia; 6 in Chuvashia; 5 in St. Petersburg. Also regional party branches in Kemerovo and Sochi filed their complaints,” Emilia Slabunova said.

She stressed that the party was preparing to file a aggregate complaint to the Central Electoral Commission so that to “pay attention to the flagrant violations by the local authorities”.

YABLOKO Chairperson spoke about the importance of course towards fair elections and openness proclaimed by the Central Electoral Commission and its Chair Ella Pamfilova. Slabonova also noted that this course should be implemented “under the current government, which is greatly worried about their fate after [the voting day of] 18 September, so its main immediate concern is self-preservation”, and the government had been using unfair methods, including the administrative resource, so that to maintain its power.

Slabunova stressed that YABLOKO candidates had been receiving death threats since their nomination by the party. For example, YABLOKO candidates had to withdraw from the elections to the Council of People’s Deputies of Kemerovo after receiving threat. YABLOKO candidates were also facing threats in in the Republic of Karelia. Either an employer or district administration or law enforcement agencies
“talked” to them, Emilia Slabunova said.

In particular, Slabunova drew the attention of the Central Electoral Commission to the case of Alexander Kuznetsov running in single-mandate constituency No 50 in Sochi. “A day before the debate between Kuznetsov and candidate of the [ruling] United Russia []arty] Zatulin, strong guys met Kuznetsov in a backstreet, and told him that unless he withdrew from the elections, then… “we know what kindergarten children go to and what your route to work is”. His assistants also received threats. Head of the district was also threatened: if he did not ensure victory of the United Russia candidate, then he would no more hold the post of the district head,” Emilia Slabunova said.

“As for the Sochi, this is an absolutely outrageous case. Urgently give us a complaint. I will alert all: the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the FSB, the Investigative Committee and the head of the administration. It is unacceptable. Threats are unacceptable,” Ella Pamfilova, Chair of the Central Electoral Commission, said.

Emilia Slabunova also noted that the candidates of the ruling party in many regions had preferential access to work collectives and local media. For example, in some regions due to the pressure from authorities, commercial television channels did not cover opposition parties’ election campaigns, however, they provided broadcasting time to candidates from the ruling party.

In addition, with the beginning of the active phase of the campaign YABLOKO faced “unprecedented ban by local authorities on holding pickets and outdoor advertising.”

Emilia Slabunova also expressed concern about the situation in Karelia, where the court had withdrawn YABLOKO candidates list from the election to the Petrozavodsk City Council. The list was headed by ex-Mayor of Petrozavodsk Galina Shirshina.

According to Slabunova, amending the violations required “ensuring unimpeded and free campaigning and curbing the use of the administrative resource”.