Officials Respond to Ombudsman’s Voter Intimidation Allegations

The governmental inter-agency group on elections said it was “alarmed” by alleged cases of voter intimidation and it was ready “to promptly inquire into all” allegations.

Public Defender Sozar Subari claimed on May 9 that there was an increased number of cases of election-related intimidation of state employees in the provinces, which, he said, was “alarming.” Subari also said many people subject to “political pressure and terror” refrained from speaking out “because of fear.” He also said that cases studied by his office involved intimidation of public school teachers and principals in Chiatura and Mestia, as well as pressure on policemen in the Mestia district by the local police chief.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement released by the governmental inter-agency group on elections on May 13 that it was reassuring “witnesses and possible victims that their rights will be fully protected during the process of investigation.”

“However, the Ministry would herewith like to encourage everyone, especially the Public Defender, who possesses substantiated information about such cases to address relevant law enforcement agencies and cooperate more actively. Free and fair elections are our common goal and shared responsibility, and hence require joint effort,” it said.

The statement, however, did not address the allegation involving pressure on policemen in the Mestia district by the local police chief.

The Ministry of Education and Science also responded to the Public Defender’s May 9 statement and said that it had examined allegation involving intimidation of principals in several schools in the Mestia district. It said that no one was fired from those schools and the allegation of intimidation was “absolutely groundless.”

It also said that it was still in the process of examining allegation involving cases of intimidation of public school principal in the village of Gezrula in the Chiatura district.