Based on the study and analysis of hundreds of messages, video and photo materials received from observers about election violations, we would like to present information about the election fraud scheme that was used during the parliamentary elections. The monitoring mission notes that, in addition to the mentioned scheme, there were also other schemes (use of criminal groups to pressure voters, bribery of voters and pressure on them in various forms) aimed at falsifying the elections and obtaining the desired number of votes.
This scheme is confirmed by more than 370 photos and video materials provided by observers, written complaints of observers and testimonies of eyewitnesses. In addition to the above, based on public sources, we have collected hundreds of photos, videos and audio materials showing election violations. We will publicize the mentioned photo and video material, transfer it to the media, and also share it with the international community.
During the election day, we received more than 900 reports from our observers from 1131 polling stations about violations of election procedures. In 196 precincts where our representatives observed the elections, significant violations had a repeated, continuous and systematic nature, which had a significant impact on the results of the elections.
In particular, we have obtained evidence confirming that the following pre-planned, organized fraud scheme was in operation, for which preparations began before the elections, in particular:
- Firstly, the CEC, without public discussions and consultation with the involved parties, single-handedly and arbitrarily changed the rule established by the Election Code and instead of identifying the function of registrars by drawing lots on the day of the elections, it determined the deadline for the drawing of lots 1 week before the elections. It was impossible for most of the monitoring organizations to observe the mentioned process;
- Along with the process of formation of voter lists, reports and evidences about rental of voters’ ID cards or collection of personal data in different ways and other forms of processing by the ruling party have increased on a large scale;
- Despite numerous calls for the investigation authorities to act on the above-mentioned facts, they were absolutely inactive;
- Despite the CEC’s public promise that there would be no interruptions in monitoring the verification process, on the day of voting, the opposite was the reality at the polling stations: in total, the registration tables were stuck to the wall in such a way that it was impossible for the observers to fully observe the process. Where our observers had the opportunity to stand behind the verification machines, the commission members indicated that they should move away from the location, as they were not allowed to observe from that location. In some cases, our observers were expelled from the sites for observing the verification process.
The scheme of election fraud on the day of voting at the polling stations was as follows:
- Some of the voters who came to the polling station had a piece of paper with another person’s personal number written on it, placed in their passport or stuck on their ID card; Also, the voter is able to vote through a photocopy of the ID card in the phone;
- Fraudulent voters had allied registrars at the polling stations who: a) had to quickly enter the personal number written on the paper into the verification machine; b) and should not have been marked or should have been marked poorly;
- In this falsification scheme, the falsifier needed to avoid inking the ballot as much as possible so that he could use the same scheme to go to another precinct and participate in the election again. Consequently, the inking, which is and in this case should have been an insurance mechanism against falsification in the verification process, was not carried out;
- Moreover: voters were admitted to the polling stations without inking checks, inking fluid was not used, manipulation during inking was also observed – during inking, by covering the voter with a finger or a napkin, the inking fluid did not get on the voter’s hand;
- In some cases, the inking fluid and the quality of the flashlight were not appropriate: there were no traces of inking or it was easily torn off, and the flashlights were out of order – it was necessary to replace the elements, etc.
- The falsifier and the registrar were facilitated by the arrangement of the registrars’ desks in the voting room, which made it impossible to observe the process. Along with such infrastructure, the members of the commission and the chairman categorically forbade the observers to approach the desks of the registrars. When approaching the table, there were several cases of the observers being pushed out of the area;
- In the process of falsifying the elections, the so-called Observers of the GoNGO organization, who had three tasks:
o Further help neutralize the observers;
o Together with the representatives of the ruling party, counterfeiters mobilized near the precinct were brought to the precincts;
o If necessary, create chaos in the area, allowing the registrar and the falsifier to carry out the verification process inconspicuously and deliver the ballot to the falsifier without interruption.
- All of the above allowed the falsifier to vote with the received ballot and place the ballot in an electronic or non-electronic box;
- This rigging scheme does not cause the imbalance that characterizes other carousels that need to remove ballots from the precinct.
Despite extremely limited surveillance, the creation of a hostile environment, and attempts at physical, verbal and psychological abuse and intimidation, the observers managed to identify the main trends in the scheme and document evidence that exposed this fraud scheme and its scale.
Complaints about the invalidity of the results of 189 precincts in various electoral districts have been prepared and are being submitted to the District Election Commissions. The total number of voters in these precincts exceeds 300,000. Our lawyers continue to work on filing additional appeals to annul the results, and therefore this number will increase.
The evidence collected by the observation mission contains information about the crime of electoral fraud. Accordingly, we appeal to the investigative agencies to start an investigation of election fraud.
