Georgian IGFM section observes parliamentary elections

ISHR: physical attacks, intimidation and bribery at polling stations

Massive election manipulation in Georgia

Frankfurt am Main, 27 October 2024 – The parliamentary elections in Georgia have been marred by massive manipulation and disruption, reports the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR). These include violations of the secrecy of the ballot, intimidation and violence against voters, journalists and observers, and direct bribery at polling stations. The ISHR does not recognize the election results and is calling on European governments to sanction the representatives of the Georgian Dream party and not to recognize the election.

‘The attacks against election observers and journalists, as well as the many violations that have been identified, are evidence of the active manipulation of the elections by pro-Russian groups. The European Union must not recognize this manipulated result,’ demands ISHR Chairman Edgar Lamm.
According to the initial results of the approximately 4,000 domestic election observers, there were more than 345 cases of missing or violated labelling rules. For example, there was manipulation through multiple voting, so-called ‘carousels’, despite the color marking of the fingers. In more than 90 cases, the secrecy of the ballot was violated. There was also direct bribery of voters at polling stations.
Intimidation and physical attacks

In more than 350 cases, unauthorised persons were present at polling stations and in the immediate vicinity and interfered with the voting process. In more than 100 cases, there were physical attacks against voters, journalists and observers. In some cases, official observers were expelled from polling stations and in 163 cases they were so severely obstructed that they were unable to fulfil their duties. Violations that could impair the free will of the population were identified in 25 electoral districts.

The two private polling institutes, Edison Research and HarrisX, concluded that the ruling Georgian Dream party had a 40 to 42 per cent share of the vote.
The Georgian section of the ISHR, led by Prof Dr Avtandil Davitaia, took part in the election observation as an officially registered election observation team in two Georgian cities. In total, several thousand observers monitored the election.