Promo-LEX records lowest rate of party finance reporting to the CEC for 2019 compared to 2014-2018
The civic monitoring of political party financing in 2019, carried out by the Promo-LEX Association, revealed unsettled legislative loopholes, unreported expenses amounting to about 19.02 million lei, as well as a law level of financial reporting to the CEC. Promo-LEX warns about parties’ low level of financial reporting This year, for the first time since 201 4, Promo-LEX found the lowest rate of party financial management annual reporting to […]
Policy Alert # 2 – Electoral system agreement should be implemented without further delay
Image source: Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock Five months before the 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia, there is still uncertainty over the electoral system under which these elections will take place. While a breakthrough agreement about the system was reached on March 8, 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent state of emergency has halted the process […]
Administrative arrests and abuse against opposition activists continue amid COVID lockdown regime
A policeman verifies a driver’s permission to be moving around the city in April 2020. Image source: 2020 Azadliq Radiosu/RFERL Background: Most of the quarantine-related restrictions are lifted in Azerbaijan, however partial lock-down is to end on the 31st of May. SMS permit system to leave for outdoors has been cancelled whereas borders remain […]
Persistence of discriminatory approaches in the formation of territorial election commissions
Observation of the presidential election is carried out by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in the framework of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”. SUMMARY territorial election commissions (hereinafter TECs) are one of the key instruments in the administration of elections in accordance with the international principles of free […]
CEC turns down opposition groups’ applications and hinders opposition candidates from running for the Presidency
Opposition activists protest against CEC’s decision to disqualify their nomination groups. May 15, 2020. Image source: Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections The Central Election Commission has registered 15 groups formed to support the nominations of future presidential candidates. These include the incumbent Aliaksandr Lukashenka, former Belgazprombank CEO Viktar Babaryka, ex-MP Hanna Kanapatskaya, BSDH party leader Siarhei Cherachen, […]
Guidance on Election Monitoring During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Image source: gndem.org The COVID-19 pandemic poses severe technical, political, and social threats to elections. In many countries, the effects of the virus will strain citizen relationships with government and elected officials, intensify political tensions and the potential for violence, disenfranchise voters, and increase conditions for democratic backsliding. Each of these challenges may subvert […]
Election Code changes: Need to prioritize amendments on local elections and have parliamentary expert dialogue
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU) Committee on Organization of State Government, Regional Development, Local Self-Government and Urban Planning has returned to the improvement of the Election Code before 2020 regular local elections. On May 12, the Subcommittee on Elections and Referendums held an online discussion of critical changes to the Election Code, drafted by MPs. […]
Weekly report: Human rights situation deteriorating ahead of election
Observation of the presidential election is carried out by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in the framework of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”. SUMMARY – the 2020 presidential election in Belarus was announced against the background of an adverse geopolitical situation in the region, and in the conditions […]
Timeline of the election chaos
Image source: notesfrompoland.com The Political Accountability Foundation released a timeline of events leading up to the non-election on 10 May in Poland. Due to last minute amendments introduced to the electoral legal framework, voters were deprived of their right to cast a vote in the presidential election on the date indicated in accordance with […]
Viasna calls for the immediate release of its arrested members
Riot police detain Siarhey Tsikhanouski, a blogger who announced his candidacy to the Presidency, in Homiel. Photo: Siarhey Lyapinv, Source:belsat.eu Statement of the Board of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Minsk – May 12, 2020 Over the past few weeks, there have been several cases of persecution and judicial harassment of members of our […]