Five detained for election-related offences, Interior Ministry says
The Interior Ministry says that they are doing their utmost to prevent violations at polling stations. Photo: Interior Ministry press office.
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Five individuals have been detained for administrative offences, while an investigation has been opened for two criminal offences related to today’s by-elections in Tbilisi and in the regions, Deputy Interior Minister Natia Mezvrishvili has reported.
The five have been detained for disobedience to police and petty hooliganism,” Mezvrishvili said.
She stated that despite multiple appeals, both administrative offences and possible criminal actions are being observed at polling stations.
We once again urge political parties, their supporters, coordinators and observers to act within the law. In the case of violations, the police, which is politically neutral, will take the appropriate steps, no matter to which political party someone belongs to,” Mezvrishvili said.
The Central Election Commission has reported violations at several election stations.
Spokeswoman Ana Mikeladze said observers and members of political party have taken voters’ ID cards and wrote down their data, which is a violation.
The leader of the parliamentary majority Archil Talakvadze has presented an audio recording of “the closest circle” of former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili and his wife Sandra Roelofs, now running in the by-elections for Zugdidi mayor, where, people, are allegedly speaking about how to cause disorderliness in Zugdidi and Adjara whether the opposition wins or lose elections.
A total of 67,217 people have cast their ballots in today’s by-elections four hours since the polling stations opened, announces the Central Election Commission.
The lowest voter turnout – 10.4% - has been observed in the Mtatsminda constituency as of 12 p.m. where 4,568 people have voted.
The leader of the parliamentary majority Archil Talakvadze presented an audio recording of “the closest circle” of former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili and his wife Sandra Roelofs, now running in the by-elections for Zugdidi mayor, at a special briefing several minutes ago.
Central Election Commission has reported violations at several election stations. Spokeswoman Ana Mikeladze said observers and members of political party have taken voters’ ID cards and wrote down their data, which is a violation.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), one of the leading NGOs in Georgia, says that its observers have been allowed in and faced no restrictions to monitor the election process at almost all polling stations in today’s by-elections in Tbilisi and the regions.
A total of 67,217 people have cast their ballots in today’s by-elections four hours since the polling stations opened, announces the Central Election Commission.
27,256 voters, accounting for 6.8 percent of the total number of voters, cast their ballots in today’s by-elections by 10 a.m., two hours after the polling stations opened in Georgia, the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced.
Over 117,000 voters made their electoral choices for the ongoing by-elections in districts across Georgia by 3p.m. local time, the Election Administration of Georgia has revealed.
The lowest voter turnout has been reported in the Mtatsminda election district in Tbilisi, where people will elect an MP in parliament, replacing current President Salome Zurabishvili. Voter turnout by 5 p.m. in Mtatsminda was 26,6 %, while the turnout in the second round of the 2016 parliamentary elections in the same district, at 5 p.m., was 31.1 %.
Polling stations closed at 8 p.m. in Georgia where voters cast ballots for a member of parliament, five mayors and members of eight city councils (Sakrebulo) across the country.
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), one of the leading NGOs in Georgia, reported that the voting procedure on May 19 by-elections was held “without any substantial violations.”
Former Deputy Interior Minister Natia Mezvrishvili will now be responsible for the new Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s public relations office, protocol and foreign relations issues.