The monitoring coalition My Vote is responding to reports of pressure on voters, particularly the confiscation of identity cards and the illegal collection of personal data. Londa Toloraia, spokesperson for My Vote, head of the Center for the Rule of Law, and former state inspector, stated that there are indications of criminal activity that relevant state agencies should begin investigating.
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“As per information reported by several sources, representatives of the ruling party are forcibly confiscating the identity documents of officials employed in the public sector, as well as those of socially vulnerable individuals. Such incidents have been reported in Zugdidi, Kvareli, Kutaisi, and Tbilisi, indicating a large-scale issue.
The use of such methods by the government not only instills fear in voters but also constitutes a criminal offense," said Toloraia.
She noted that on October 12, the Nodar Meladze’s Shabati program of the Pirveli television company uncovered new evidence regarding the misuse of administrative resources through journalistic investigation.
"As it turns out, individuals employed in public institutions are being pressured to collect personal data on themselves and their family members for the benefit of the Georgian Dream and to send it to the ruling party for further processing. The personal data of employees from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Gardabani Municipality City Hall, Oil and Gas Corporation, Air Navigation, Airports Union, and their family members are included in a secret list that was found in the possession of the journalist. This list contains names, surnames, personal identification numbers, addresses, and telephone numbers.
The widespread nature of this information raises reasonable suspicions that there is pressure on voters, including civil servants, to vote for Georgian Dream against their will.
There are indications of illegal acquisition and use of personal data, coercive influence on voter will, and abuse and excess of official authority - crimes outlined in Articles 157, 1644, 332, and 333 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The publicly disseminated information provides grounds for initiating an investigation, yet, to date, responsible investigative agencies have not clarified what actions they have taken in response.
We appeal to the Special Investigation Service and the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia to immediately initiate an investigation into these allegations and to inform the public about the progress of the investigation as soon as possible, as such actions seriously undermine both the rights of each voter and the electoral process as a whole," Toloraia stated.
The monitoring coalition is also focusing on the donations received by Georgian Dream last week and is urging the head of the anti-corruption bureau, Razhden Kuprashvili, to examine the financial activities and donors of the ruling party.
"As per statistical information, Georgian Dream received an additional donation of 592 000 GEL. New donor companies have benefited from 17 million GEL in state contracts and received subsidies of up to 1 million GEL from various state programs. We once again call on the anti-corruption bureau, which has faded from public view since the Prime Minister's illegal decision against civil society organizations and their leaders was revoked, to investigate the financial activities of the ruling party and their donors," said Londa Toloraia.
Toloraia also assessed the recent decisions of the Communications Commission against critical media outlets and expressed concern over the regulator's fines against Formula, Mtavari Arkhi, and Pirveli, as well as its refusal to allow the party Gakharia for Georgia to place free political advertisements, calling these actions alarming.
