“Despite the statements of the Moscow Electoral Commission
that "no grave violations" were registered, the
Moscow Duma elections saw multiple violations.” Yabloko, ELDR
member party reported today publically.
“Thus, on the threshold of the Election Day, October 11,
the Moscow Electoral Commission had suddenly run out of absentee
voting certificates” they continued, denouncing that yesterday
some observers from the Yabloko party were not allowed to
carry out their functions and they have been afterwards deported
from polling stations “under unknown pretexts”.
“An hour before the closing of the polls Yabloko received
several telephone calls from the voters”, Yabloko party witnesses
informed. “Voters reported that at the polling stations between
7 and 8p.m. "someone" had already voted on their
behalf”.
Other actions of fraud and cheating toward voters have been
recorded by Yabloko all over the country. I.e. “by Tulskaya
and Nagatinskaya metro stations voters were offered to get
money for their votes”, Yabloko testifies. Also the BBC and
other international media outlets reported about the concern
that such violations of democratic principles happened also
elsewhere across Russia.
ELDR supports the strong commitment of its democratic member
parties Yabloko and the People’s Democratic Union in their
strenuous resistance in defense of transparency and democracy
in Russia.
ELDR commits itself for raising European awareness around
the democratic character of elections in Russia in general,
and in particular in the Moscow city Duma elections in order
to examine closer the position of the Russian observers and
the unclear results.
At the ELDR Congress in Barcelona on 19 and 20 November,
European Liberal Democrats will discuss a resolution on the
topic of citizen’s access to the electoral system in Russia.
For more details (in Russian) please refer to the Yabloko
Russian website
http://www.yabloko.ru
http://www.mosyabloko.ru
See also (in English) elections to the Moscow City Duma,
2009
Moscow City
Duma Elections, 2009
Violations
at the Moscow City Duma elections. Press Release. October
12, 2009
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