Georgia: Last chance to stop Russian-style crackdown on civil society
International human rights organizations, civil society groups, and election observers are urging European and national leaders to promptly address the Georgian government’s attempt to crackdown on civil society as the country approaches its General Elections in October. Since April 15th, Georgians have been rallying in protest against the proposed “Transparency of Foreign Influence” law, which […]
Webinar 3: Women in Elections: transforming policies, transforming politics in Europe
We kindly invite you to the third webinar of the project “Supporting Engagement in European Elections and Democratic Societies” (SEEEDS) in 2024, which will take place on May 14, 2024 at 4 pm. The webinar focuses on women’s representation in the in the European Elections 2024. Women have the right to vote but continue to be under-represented in European politics […]
Press Statement: EPDE condemns crackdown on election observers in Azerbaijan
The European Platform for Democratic Elections strongly condemns the recent wave of crackdown on citizen election observers, human right defenders and independent journalists in Azerbaijan. Yesterday, our colleague Anar Mammadli, head of EPDE member organization Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS), which has been engaged in citizen election monitoring in Azerbaijan since 2001, was arrested […]
Statement of Solidarity with Detained Observers in Azerbaijan
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) expresses its deep concern with the detainment of citizen election observers from the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) in Azerbaijan. The arrest of nonpartisan citizen observers contributes to a climate of fear and hampers the rights of the people of Azerbaijan to provide independent oversight over their […]
Statement of Solidarity with Imran Aliyev
EPDE stands in solidarity with our colleague, election observer and human rights defender Imran Aliyev, who was unjustly arrested at Baku International Airport on April 18. Imran Aliyev, a prominent figure in Azerbaijan’s civil society, was subjected to brutal violence and coercion after his arrest. He was beaten, given electric shocks, and forced to sign […]
European Exchange and European Platform for Democratic Elections Express Concern Over Georgia’s Proposed “Foreign Agents” Law
New Voting Technologies in Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections
Georgia is scheduled to hold much-anticipated parliamentary elections on October 26, 2024. This time around 90 percent of Georgian citizens will vote in polling stations using electronic means: special voter verification equipment will be used to check voter identity; voters will fill in paper ballots and feed the ballot into optical ballot scanners. At the […]
Ukrainian authorities’ legitimacy when elections are impossible
The new normal that Ukraine has been forced into after Russia’s full-scale invasion on the 24th of February 2022 raises questions for the Ukrainian government, politicians, experts, and society about whether democratic elections are possible in Ukraine while the active phase of the war is ongoing. This also raises questions about the legitimacy of Ukrainian […]
EMDS issued the statement on the detention of representatives of free media and independent civil organizations
The Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) considers the detention ofthe employees and founders of “Toplum TV” on March 6-8, as well as the members of theInstitute of Democratic Initiatives and the “III Republic” Platform, and the bogus chargesagainst them, as a continuation of the government’s political repression against free media and independent civil […]
Press Statement: Russia’s fraudulent March 15-17, 2024 presidential “election” validated by fake observers from 129 countries
To legitimize the election process, Russia’s Central Election Commission announced the invitation of a proud number of 1115 “international observers” from 129 countries. EPDE identified around 150 of fake observers and “experts”, among them rather unknown European local politicians and activists representing or affiliated with far-right parties or movements. The Russian Federation held presidential “elections” […]