05:20, 22 January 2017

"Kommersant": ICRF refuses to initiate case on election frauds in Dagestan

At a Polling Station in Dagestan. Photo by Patimat Makhmudova for the "Caucasian Knot"

Violations at Polling Station No. 1573 in the village of Endirey were reported by Eduard Ataev, the coordinator of the "Golos" (Vote) movement in Dagestan, and Vladimir Sevrinovsky, a member of the election commission with an advisory vote from the "Yabloko" Party. However, an investigator from the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) refused to open a criminal case, the "Kommersant" writes.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 22, 2016, the Dagestani Central Election Commission (CEC) announced dismissal of 21 chairs of the precinct election commissions (PECs).

According to oppositional parties, the elections in Dagestan had plenty of violations that affected the voting outcomes. The "Edinaya Rossiya" (United Russia) Party won 88.86% of the voters at elections to the Russian State Duma, and 75.51% – at elections to the republic's parliament. Users of social networks reported mass throw-in of ballots and numerous falsifications of election protocols in Makhachkala.

Messrs Ataev and Sevrinovsky had noted that at vote tabulation at Polling Station No. 1573, the commission discarded over 2000 unused ballot papers for the single-mandate constituency No. 10; however, the CEC of Dagestan reported 18 such ballot papers. According to observers, the actual voter turnout was 171 persons, while the officially reported figure was 2102.

Let us remind you that on October 31, 2016, Ella Pamfilova, the Chair of the Russian CEC, treated Dagestan as one of the most problematic regions from the election viewpoint.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.