Georgian Prosecutor's Office says investigation launched into 47 election-related criminal cases

The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia on Thursday said it  was investigating 47 cases of allegations of election-related criminal violations  in relation to Saturday’s parliamentary vote election campaign across the country.

The Office said the investigation also involved the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance, with the cases including allegations of falsification during the  elections, influencing of voters’ will, violation of the secrecy of ballot, bribery of voters, interference with journalistic activities, violence and threats, and damage and destruction of property at polling stations or during the campaign season.

The body said the investigations had been initiated following appeals from both the domestic opposition and the ruling Georgian Dream party, the country’s Central Election Commission, non-governmental organisations and media reports.

• Georgian Prosecutor's Office launches investigation on election “falsification” following election body request after President’s claim

It noted investigative agencies had “actively summoned and interviewed individuals” for information related to the alleged offences, appointed “appropriate examinations”, and was studying and identifying video materials and “relevant individuals”.

It also said law enforcement officers had on Thursday arrested two individuals for electoral violations, after a video that showed a person stuffing multiple ballots into a ballot box at the No.69 polling station of Marneuli in eastern Georgia during elections was released on social media.

• Police arrest two for electoral violation in eastern Georgia

The Office claimed individuals claiming to possess information and evidence about alleged electoral crimes had “not cooperated with the investigation and refused to provide relevant details”, hindering its progress, in comments after the CEC requested an inquiry following claims by President Salome Zourabichvili and other political figures of election fraud.

The body urged individuals “with relevant information” on alleged electoral crimes to cooperate with investigative structures to ensure a “quick, effective and objective investigation”.

Zourabichvili and four domestic opposition parties that have overcome the five percent electoral threshold in the elections on Monday dismissed the results as “rigged”. The President also told the CNN the ruling Georgian Dream party had “used IDs taken from citizens seven times, 10 times, 17 times” during the voting.

The Office on Wednesday said the President had been summoned to the investigative agency for an interview on Thursday.