In Astrakhan, Oleg Shein claims false testimony at trial on cancellation of Mayor's election

In Astrakhan, Oleg Shein asked to prosecute 18 witnesses in the case of cancellation of the results of Mayor's election. According to Oleg Shein, witnesses of 18 precinct election commissions gave false testimonies.

During the trial, the court listened to 130 witnesses, viewed video records from 178 electoral precincts, and the volume of case materials reached 2000 pages.

According to Oleg Shein, during the trial, the election commission subpoenaed and questioned witnesses, who at time of the elections were officials and members of the precinct election commission (PEC) of the Kirov District of Astrakhan with decisive vote.

For example, according to the ex-candidate for mayoralty, a witness from the PEC No. 382 gave false testimony. She testified that during counting of votes cast by voters during the early Mayor's election, the counting was carried out by shifting the ballots, in accordance with the requirements of the law.

"Meanwhile, the court viewed the video record, which clearly showed that the counting of the ballots at those electoral precincts was carried out by 'bending a corner', which is unacceptable in terms of the current legislation," stated Oleg Shein.

A witness from the PEC testified that the PEC No. 384 committed no removal of observers and other persons, engaged in implementation of the principle of transparency in the work of the PEC. Meanwhile, the video record viewed by the court, according to Oleg Shein, "clearly showed the process of removal from the electoral precinct the observers and the media representatives for their production of video recording and photographing."

"All the circumstances give me good grounds to assume the presence in the actions of 18 citizens, questioned as witnesses in our case, elements of a crime giving false testimony. We believe that our so-called 'preventive weeding' of false witnesses will play a positive role in our case. At present, only 8 witnesses out of 42 representatives of PECs, invited to the court as witnesses, entered the courtroom with trembling hands. They are afraid to give false testimonies," Oleg Shein expressed his opinion.

However, according to Oleg Shein, in case if the court decides not in favour of the plaintiff, he reserves the right to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).