Election commission member who accused GD of vote-rigging denies pressure on her after going missing for days
The Central Election Commission (CEC) reported a total of 219 formal complaints about municipal election run-offs in Georgia, while it received 133 complaints overall from representatives of election participants. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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An election commission member of the Kutaisi No. 90 polling station, Iza Chirgadze, who claimed that she was forced by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party to give ballot papers to unregistered voters on election day - October 30 - denies pressure was put on her, noting that she was not in any danger, after having been missing for the last two days.
Chirgadze explained that she was in a village helping a relative, following questioning by the police yesterday.
I was not in any danger. No threats, no pressure and no abduction took place. I was with family members,” Chirgadze said.
She also noted that she did not want to be bothered by anyone, therefore switched her phone off.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) offered Chirgadze legal assistance yesterday.
Law enforcement agencies are fully responsible for ensuring safe and pressure-free environment for Chirgadze and her family. Since this morning, Iza Chirgaze’s phone is off and it is impossible to contact her. https://t.co/Dfw2QIlSwV#Gvote21 #Gvote2021
— ISFED (@isfed_official) November 2, 2021
The opposition candidate for Kutaisi vice-mayor from Girchi - More Freedom party, Imeda Kldiashvili, stated earlier that the State Security Service (SSS) had contacted Chirgadze after she accused the GD of vote-rigging, and allegedly demanded to refrain from communications with opposition representatives and media outlets.
However, ruling party MP Mamuka Mdinaradze dismissed charge rigging, and maintained that up to 10 members of GD were either threatened or offered money ‘to make false statements.’
The Central Election Commission (CEC) reported a total of 219 formal complaints about municipal election run-offs in Georgia, while it received 133 complaints overall from representatives of election participants.
ISFED observers filed 161 complaints in election commissions during the run-offs, while Transparency International (TI) Georgia filed 23 complaints and reported about 150 violations over the course of election day.