Marneuli Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs revealed the facts of falsification of local self-governance elections of June 15, 2014 in the 57-th and 25-th election precincts of Marneuli #22 district commission. 13 individuals are accused of the above mentioned crime.
The investigation showed that the representatives of different political parties and their supporters participated in the falsification of the elections in the facilities of the 57-th and 25-th election precincts; majority of them are close relatives and have friendly relations.
It should be emphasized that the majority of the above mentioned commission members worked in the election system before the Parliamentary elections of 2012; some of them have many years of working experience in the election commissions.
The investigation established that in the #57 election precinct the falsification was committed by Talekh Bitanov, the observer of the “Joint National Movement” and Vugar Gojaev, the activist of the “National Movement along with the district commission members and other observers.
The fact of dropping the ballots in the election box aiming at falsification the election is clearly shown in the videotape disseminated in the Internet space, but it is not evident in the video materials displayed in the briefing held on June 16, 2014 by Gigi Ugulava, the leader of the National Movement; according to G.Ugulava the materials was recorded by Ana Gurgenidze, the representative of the nongovernmental organization “Free Zone”, who acted in the capacity of an observer in the election precinct.
On 18.06.2014 the investigative organs applied in a written form to the chairman of the nongovernmental organization “Free Zone” and within the scopes of the subject matter inquired full original copies of the videotapes recorded in the 57-th and 25-th election precincts of Marneuli #22 district commission; though the materials are not provided yet.
The investigations obtained and submitted to the expertise the videotape disseminated in the Internet space. The expertise report states that the videotape is the montage and does not represent one entire part where the digital processing traces are vivid”.
Ana Gurgenidze, the representative of the nongovernmental organization “Free Zone” was interrogated regarding the above mentioned fact; she explained that she did not witness the fact of falsification but viewed the video recording accidently upon completion of the elections while the investigation showed that Ana Gurgenidze saw the video recording not accidently but she personally was in the election precinct during the falsification process and observed it. Besides the witnesses` testimonies the mentioned is evidenced by the disseminated video recording, in particular at the 2 minute and 45 second of the recording Ana Gurgenidze clearly admits in Russian language in her conversation with an interlocutor that she is the journalist from “Free Zone”; these words can be listened by anyone interested in the subject matter in the Internet space; thus this extract of the video recording is an additional evidence confirming her presence in the election precinct in the mentioned period.
The investigation is underway to reveal and identify other violators.
The investigation is launched under the article 1643 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.
