Prosecutor’s Office investigates over 47 election-related cases
By Tea Mariamidze
Tuesday, November 7
The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia (POG) has launched an investigation into 47 cases over the local October 21 elections.
Giorgi Gabitashvili, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, stated that 21 cases out of the 47 are underway in Tbilisi. In the Kvemo Kartli region, seven cases are in progress, with three in ShidaKartli, four in West Georgia, five in Adjara, two in Samegrelo, 21 in Tbilisi, one in Kakheti, and four in Samtskhe-Javakheti.
The Deputy Chief Prosecutor said that the investigation into ninecases has been suspended due to an absence of evidence, and in connection to three cases legal persecution has been launched against seven persons.
The information was released at the session of the Inter-Agency Commission for Free and Fair Elections in the Justice Ministry on November 6.
Besides the report of the Chief Prosecutor's Office, the commission members also listened to the report of the Central Election Commission (CEC).
The participants of the meeting discussed the practice that was observed during the local elections, when the representatives of political parties stood at registry offices and wrote down the names of voters who registered.
The members of the Commission agreed that such lists should not be made and used by the representatives of political parties to check who went to the elections to cast their votes.
A representative of theGeorgian Young Lawyers (GYLA), Lela Taliuri, stated that the conversation at the meeting referred to particular recommendations that will supposedly be issued by the commission over not allowing any third party to have access to voters’ personal data.
The Inter-Agency Commission was set up by the order of the Minister of Justice on June 30, 2013. It includes representatives of executive authorities and local self-government bodies, as well as prosecutors, CEC and NGOs.
The commission was set up for the 2015 midterm elections as well. In total, the Commission has issued 48 recommendations to ensure a fair and free election environment.
