Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections – Unprecedented Brutality

Findings of the observation of the Parliamentary Elections of May 21 2008

The Human Rights Centre (HRIDC) is a non-governmental human rights organization, without any political or religious affiliations. The purpose of HRIDC is to increase respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Georgia, as well as to contribute to the democratic development of the country. The HRIDC have been actively monitoring the respect of human rights by the Georgian Government over a last decade. The Centre has actively been engaged in the monitoring of elections as a part of its general human rights monitoring activities. HRIDC observed Presidential Elections of 2008 and issued its report on findings. The report can be found at the canter’s web page:
http://www.humanrights.ge/admin/editor/uploads/pdf/Preliminary%20Report%20of%20the%20HRIDC%20on%20the%20Presidential%20Elections.pdf 

After it became apparent that the Parliamentary Elections will be held at Spring of 2008 the Centre decided to focus its resources and expertise on the observation of the Parliamentary Elections.  The Centre’s aims in this respect were: first to measure the adherence of Georgia’s electoral process to international standards in several problematic regions; second, to increase public awareness about the political processes in Georgia; and third, to make the political process in Georgia more transparent, contributing to the consolidation of democracy in the country.
The Center has allocated following number of observers on May 21:
- Tbilisi: 5 mobile observers
- Kakheti Region: 22 observers (several of them were mobile)
- Samegrelo Region: 53 observers (several of them were mobile)
- Shida Qartli Region: 9 mobile observers
- Akhaltsikhe: 1 mobile observer
The Human Rights Centre together with the Coalition for Democracy held three press-conferences on May 21. Conferences were held at 12:00, 15:00 18:00 and 21:00 o’clock. Only last press conference that was held at the entrance of Central Election Commission (CEC) received adequate news coverage.
Findings on the Election Day
The Human Rights Centre observed fundamental breaches of the election procedure in most of the polling stations it was observing on May 21. The authors of those violations were either members of the local or district election commissions or persons with unknown identity. Situation became tense since morning, with observers of the Centre not being admitted to the polling stations, despite having accreditation badges from the Central Election Commission and personal identity cards. Those observers who were admitted to the poling stations were effectively prevented to carry out their mandate by the above mentioned subjects.
Concrete facts of brutality
By noon the situation became more tense. Several observers reported to be subject of verbal abuse. Soon after, facts on physical abuse of the Centre’s observers were reported. The Executive Director of the Human Rights Centre Mr. Ucha Nanuashvili has become a subject of the physical violence while trying to document some brutalities in several polling stations in Kakhety Region. Mr. Nanuashvili was observing Sagarejo Polling district villages: Iormuganlo, Upper and Lover Lambalo, Tulari and Qesalo. Persons of unknown identity have destroyed the video camera of the Human Rights Center to prevent dissemination of the footage demonstrating chaos and brutalities taking place in most of the polling stations. A crowd of people tried to stop Mr. Nanuashvili’s car leaving the village Lambalo by blocking the road.
Lagodekhi’s 15th election district, Kabali’s 18th polling station the Chair of the Commission and its members physically offended Mr. Gela Mtivlishvili observer of “The Human Rights Centre” who wanted to write a complaint on the fact that election ballots were taken outside the polling station. In addition, the Chair of the Commission was found having 12 summary protocols, all of them filled in advance. After Mr. Mtivlishvil detected this violation, head of commission hit observer a chair in the head.
Nugzar Abulashvili and Guram Kakalashvili, the majoritarian candidates of Lagodekhi and Sighnaghi region, visited polling stations together with about ten people. It was reported that some of the individuals accompanying Abulashvili and Kakalashvili were recently released from the prison. They entered polling stations and terrified commission members and observers. In Sighnaghi, on Sakobo’s polling station, Nugzar Abulashvili with help of police officers, twisted Nodar Kutibashvili’s (United Opposition commission member) hand behind his back and using physical force expelled him from the polling station.  In case of return to the polling station Nodar Kutibashvili was threatened to be killed.
At 14:00 about ten drunk men intruded in upper Lambalo’s 47th polling station and threw several ballots in the ballot box. There are 1069 voters on this district (11 in special list). At 12 o’clock only 23 voters have voted, at one o’clock - 24. At two o’clock people who intruded into the polling station dropped falsified ballots into the ballot box. Several people were severely beaten, two of them are - Sandro Gagniashvili (“Republican Party”), Mamuka Masurashvili(“Labour Party”),. Head of commission Masimov was actively involved in the process of hand-to-hand fighting. Police officers are also beaten.
Due to the extremely difficult and dangerous situation Human Rights center was forced to evacuate its observers from most of the polling stations in Kakheti Region by 14:00. This was done in order to secure the physical integrity of the observers.
The Human Rights Centre observed the same developments in Samegrelo Region. Ms. Nana Pajava, an observer of the Human Rights Center and acting journalist has become the subject of both verbal and physical abuse from the representatives of the National Movement: Mr. Gela Tofuria and Mr. Kakha Kuprava. After arriving at the Polling Station No 22 of the Abasha Polling District No 63, Ms. Pajava found out that the station was closed. After entering the station she tried to find out what was happening and asked questions to the Chair of the Local Polling Station, who refused to give any explanations. This was when above mentioned National Movement representatives intervened. Result of this intervention was physically and verbally abused observer of the Human Rights Centre.
Above mentioned fact are only small part of the grave violations of the Georgian Election Code. Human Rights Centre intends to pursue all legal remedies available at its hand, including complaints procedure as defined by the Election Code.